LIGHTBOX LANTERNS

I build wall-hanging, illuminated pieces called lightbox lanterns. With soldered glass on the front and tiny glowing lights in the panel behind, my pieces feel warm, tactile and layered. They are as much paintings as they are lightworks; their physical form is as important as their function. This satisfies my desire to work somewhere between fine art and fine craft—good for my left brain, good for my right.

I construct my lightboxes using silver-based solder, clear textured glass, and LED lights.  The glass is painted with ink and powdered metallic pigment. The wooden support panels are painted with oil and house the wiring and battery packs behind.  Each one of my materials is used for a purpose other than the one usually intended. I combine the traditional techniques of stained glass, carpentry and electronics to create works that are arrestingly non-traditional.

I attempt to innovate in each lightbox series I produce. I’m always searching for my next new material or a fresh lighting effect. What remains constant, however, is my love of joining the aesthetic to the functional for the greater effect of both