Barro Oaxacan Clay Cluster Pendant Light by Graypants

A Barro cluster hangs three or five of Graypants' hand-formed clay pendants from one round canopy, so a single ceiling point carries a small, glowing grove of Oaxacan clay and glass. Each pendant is a wood-fired clay body topped with a blown-glass shade, designed by Caterina Moretti of Peca design studio with Graypants.

Choose the three-pendant cluster for a table, a stair or an entry, or the five-pendant cluster for a larger room. Pick Natural Clay with Clear Glass for warm, earthen tones, or Charcoal Clay with Smoke Glass for a deep, smoky black. The whole cluster is sold complete as one item and made to order, about 6 weeks.

The Design Story

"The black clay technique dates back from pre-Hispanic times."

Caterina Moretti, Barro designer, speaking to Dezeen

Moretti is drawn to raw materials and to the way one material can take many shapes. For Barro she looked to the black clay tradition of San Bartolo Coyotepec, in Oaxaca, and gave it a calm, contemporary silhouette that leaves the maker's hand visible instead of hiding it under glaze. The pendants are made by Oaxacan artisan Amando Pedro, whom she credits with a passion for the craft and "eagerness to experiment and innovate."

The cluster takes that single pendant and multiplies it. Graypants began in Seattle with architects Seth Grizzle and Jonathan Junker and works today from studios in Seattle and Amsterdam, and its multi-pendant clusters are how the studio scales a handmade object to fit a dining room, a lobby or a stairwell.

How It Is Made

Each clay body starts as earth from around Oaxaca mixed with water into a slip. The slip is poured into handmade plaster molds and fired in a wood-burning kiln that is stoked for nine hours. There is no glaze: every piece is hand-polished with river stones until the surface turns smooth and soft.

For the Charcoal Clay finish the kiln is sealed with mud so the clay absorbs smoke, and the piece is fired a second time. Because fire, smoke and hand polishing shape each pendant, the pieces in a cluster are never identical twins, and that gentle variation is what makes the group look gathered rather than manufactured.

Why You'll Love It

A cluster makes a statement that a single pendant cannot. Three Barros over a round dining table or a kitchen island read as a sculptural group, and five fill a wide entry or a double-height space with warm, matte shapes and soft light through the glass. Clay and glass do not fade or peel, and a light dusting is all they need.

Because the group is wired and sold as one complete fixture, you get a single canopy and a single ceiling point instead of planning several separate pendants.

Made for Real Life

The canopy is a round aluminum plate with a smooth black powder coat, 2 in (5.1 cm) deep and offered in 15, 24 and 32 in (38, 61 and 81 cm) diameters. The three-pendant cluster is shown on 24 in as standard. Graypants lists five-pendant clusters on a 32 in canopy, and some may fit on 24 in, so we confirm the canopy size for your arrangement when you order. The standard drop, measured from the ceiling to the bottom of the lowest pendant, is 5 ft (152 cm), and a custom drop is available at extra cost and lead time. Mount it flush to the ceiling with the ceiling couplers provided, or hang it on the aircraft cable provided; ceiling anchors are not included. The canopy and cord are black as standard; a white canopy and cord are available on request, which may add lead time. Each pendant is wired like the single Barro: one E26 socket for an LED bulb of up to 15W (bulbs not included), with 2700K warm white recommended, on 120V. Dry locations only.

Product Details

Designer	Caterina Moretti of Peca design studio, with Graypants
Made with	Oaxacan artisan Amando Pedro
Configurations	Circular, 3 Barro; Circular, 5 Barro
Finishes	Natural Clay with Clear Glass; Charcoal Clay with Smoke Glass
Each pendant	Shade 6.625 in (17 cm) diameter x 13.75 in (35 cm) high
Canopy	Round, aluminum, smooth black powder coat, 2 in (5.1 cm) deep, offered in 15, 24 and 32 in (38, 61 and 81 cm) diameters. Three-pendant clusters are shown on 24 in as standard. Graypants lists five-pendant clusters on a 32 in canopy, and some may fit on 24 in; the canopy size is confirmed when you order. White canopy and cord available on request, which may add lead time
Standard drop	5 ft (152 cm) from ceiling to the bottom of the lowest pendant; custom drop available at extra cost and lead time
Mounting	Surface mount with ceiling couplers provided, or suspended on aircraft cable provided (ceiling anchors not provided)
Cord	Black as standard; white available on request, which may add lead time
Materials	Wood-fired clay, blown glass, powder-coated aluminum canopy
Light source	One E26 socket per pendant, up to 15W LED, 2700K recommended (bulbs not included); each pendant is wired as on its single-pendant version
Voltage	120V
Location rating	Dry locations only
IP rating	IP20, dry locations only
Care	Dry locations only. Clean with a dry duster or compressed air. Clay shades are non-toxic, handmade and made using responsible practices.
Origin	Clay body handmade and glass shade blown in Oaxaca, Mexico; designed in Seattle
Lead time	Made to order, about 6 weeks

Configurations, Finishes and Item Numbers

Configuration	Finish	Item number	Lead time
Circular, 3 Barro	Natural Clay with Clear Glass	GP-BR-MR-BK-BK-SM-NC	Made to order, about 6 weeks
Circular, 3 Barro	Charcoal Clay with Smoke Glass	GP-BR-MR-BK-BK-SM-CS	Made to order, about 6 weeks
Circular, 5 Barro	Natural Clay with Clear Glass	GP-BR32-MR-BK-BK-SM-NC	Made to order, about 6 weeks
Circular, 5 Barro	Charcoal Clay with Smoke Glass	GP-BR32-MR-BK-BK-SM-CS	Made to order, about 6 weeks

Handmade for You

Every Barro cluster is made to order by hand, so each pendant is crafted after you choose your configuration and finish. That care is why every order is final sale, and it is why our team is glad to talk through the number of pendants, the canopy, the drop and the placement with you before you order. You are commissioning a small group of Oaxacan craft, not picking a stock fixture from a shelf.

Graypants lighting hangs in hotels, restaurants and workplaces around the world, and the studio's own project list includes Crowne Plaza Budapest, True Food Kitchen, Amazon and NBBJ. A Barro cluster brings that studio standard to a home with a long table or a tall room.

Not the Right Fit If

A Barro cluster is made to order, so it is not for projects that need a fixture within days. It is for dry, indoor locations only, and it is not a glossy, uniform finish: the beauty is in the hand-polished variation from pendant to pendant.

Questions We Hear Most

Should I choose the 3-pendant or the 5-pendant Barro cluster?

Three Barros suit a round dining table, a kitchen island or an entry. Five fill a wider table, a large foyer or a double-height room. Both hang from one round canopy and are sold complete.

What is the difference between Natural Clay with Clear Glass and Charcoal Clay with Smoke Glass?

Natural Clay shows the warm, earthy tone of fired clay and is paired with clear glass. Charcoal Clay is fired a second time in a smoke-filled kiln, turning a deep charcoal, and is paired with smoke glass. The shapes are the same.

What bulbs does a Barro cluster take?

Each pendant has its own E26 socket and takes an LED bulb of up to 15W. Bulbs are not included, and 2700K warm white is recommended for a glow that suits the clay.

How big is the canopy and how far does it hang?

The round aluminum canopy is 2 in (5.1 cm) deep and offered in 15, 24 and 32 in (38, 61 and 81 cm) diameters, in black as standard. Three-pendant clusters are shown on 24 in as standard. Graypants lists five-pendant clusters on a 32 in canopy, and some may fit on 24 in. We confirm the canopy size for your arrangement when you order. A white canopy and cord are available on request, which may add lead time. The standard drop to the bottom of the lowest pendant is 5 ft (152 cm), and a custom drop is available at extra cost and lead time.

How is the cluster mounted?

It can be surface mounted with the ceiling couplers provided, or suspended on the aircraft cable provided. Ceiling anchors are not included, so have an electrician plan the ceiling support.

Will every pendant in my cluster look identical?

No. Each clay body is wood-fired and polished by hand with river stones, so tone and texture vary slightly from pendant to pendant. That variation is part of what makes a Barro group look collected.

How long will my Barro cluster take to arrive?

A Barro cluster is made to order, with a lead time of about 6 weeks. It ships from the United States.

Why We Love It

Barro is a piece where the process is the design: fire, smoke, clay and the hand of an Oaxacan artisan. Gathered into a cluster, it feels both ancient and entirely current.

Shipping Info

Lead Time	Made to order, about 6 weeks
Ships From	United States