Took my Family to see MeowWolf Grapevine for Christmas. It was all of their first time at a MW and they said they had a blast. Even though I only worked on a couple things in this exhibit, it was cool to show them what it is I do at work.
My phone died so I didn't get many pictures, but this is 4 generations exploring together. My 88 yr old grandma was a trooper and my 4 yr old nephew opened every door.
Sinueux by @ilysparkplug - steel structure with a glass bulb. So simple, yet very magical.
Ilya Tinker is a multi-disciplinary designer, artist, fabricator, and all around talented human. She is also the co-curator and organizer of the Santa Fe Lamp Show.
Ilya is teaching an LED Wearables Workshop tomorrow 12:30-2 PM! Almost sold out, but you can still sign up at the link in bio.
Sinueux is a practice in creating winding soft movement with a material known for its rigidness. Inspired by Art Nouveau, this piece works to bring a timeless style into the present day. Sinueux is a reminder that even in the most rigid of spaces, flow and movement are what make life beautiful.
At the heart of my practice lies a fundamental belief: human experience is defined by exploration, imagination, and the sheer joy of play. I craft immersive, large-scale installations that invite participants to rediscover a sense of wonder, transcending the boundaries of everyday life.
My work is a vibrant collision of light, materiality, and interactivity. I’m fascinated by the dynamic nature of light, whether harnessed through intricate lighting designs, reflective surfaces, or the captivating play of dichroic films. Light, for me, is the ultimate medium of connection, a language through which we engage with the world.
In a world often weighed down by seriousness, I aim to create moments of pure, unadulterated play. My installations are designed to evoke a sense of childlike awe, inviting viewers to step outside their routines and connect with art – and each other – in a playful, visceral way. My work is an intersection of technology and art, a space where the familiar dissolves and the extraordinary takes hold.
The first ever @santafe.lampshow is on this week at @relay.santafe and the opening night was a spectacle! So much cool work and awesome people. Thank you @junaverse and @ilysparkplug for making this happen. I’m glad to have finally had a chance to share my work in public
Did you know humans can be lamps? 🕺🏼⚡️
Find out in this LED Wearables Workshop hosted @ilysparkplug and Kevin Sennott on 10/25 12:30-2 PM.
Bring any wearable item—hats, jackets, shoes, even a Halloween costume—and learn to add LEDs using simple electronics and battery packs.
Stay for open studio 2-3 PM, then show off your creation at Closing Night of the Lamp Show later that day!
$25 - Link in bio to sign up. 10 spots only!
Supplies, LED strips, and attachment materials are included, with extras on hand if you don’t bring your own.
** Submission deadline extended to July 11 !!!
We’re having a lamp show! Submissions are now open through June 27th - final dates for the fall show are still TBD. All shapes, sizes, and concepts are welcome!
Signup 👉 /lamp-show
Presented by: @junaverse@ilysparkplug ✨
Puerto Rico was one incredibly magical trip with Honey Buns, made more amazing by getting a peak into Pablillo, Rocío, Cielo and Bill's world. From exploring an abandoned school being turned into a studio in San Juan, to taking a road trip to the jungle to visit the awe-inspiring Termitopia and sleeping outside in hammocks, to swimming in the ocean, and eating some incredible food, I was constantly blown away by the creativity, resilience, beauty, and kindness of these wonderful humans and the worlds they are creating. Never stop turning trash into treasure! I hope we can do it together in the future. 💛 Thank you!
This is Westley! He loves his new tricycle!
I refurbished this tricycle for my nephew for Christmas. I got it years ago from the buy nothing group in Austin in excitement, but he couldn't even crawl when I scooped it. I planned to fix it up and make it nice when I got it. I thought, this year he is 3 so he will definitely be big enough for it! So I pulled it out and went to work.
He is, in fact, NOT big enough, but the cool thing about tiny humans is they get bigger real fast. He loved it. I didn't get any photos of him riding it for obvious reasons, but those will come!
I also didn't get a full picture of the before, but you can see snippets of it. (I'm not great at this whole photo thing obviously) I fully disassembled the trike, cleaned up all the parts, sanded the paint off the frame, replaced the grips, bell, bearings, stem bolt/wedge, seat, and all the bolts, and painted the frame in a high glitter red in my mom's driveway using some automotive paint and glitter. (Sorry for all the glitter on the driveway Mom!) I learned more than I thought I would and I hope he gets to really ride it soon, and grow slow enough to enjoy it for a long time.
Efflorescence : the action or process of developing and unfolding as if coming into flower : fullness of manifestation : the period or state of flowering
Efflorescence is ~75'x20' and consists of one large curved and branching vine, with 10 kinetic blooming flowers. This piece is installed in Ion Plaza in Houston temporarily.
This installation went from a dream into reality in approximately 3 months with the help of so many wonderful humans!
Thank you so much to the following badasses for not only being my friends, but showing up and helping out. Team work really makes the dream work!
And thank you so much Houston for the amazing hospitality and community you provided for this sculpture. I'm blown away by all the incredible humans I met in such a short time and all the support I received. Y'all have given me some extra Texas pride. 💛
@piperfaustpublicart@theionhouston@1nput0utput@whiptaildesigns@cherayae@vapidorg Mike Hart @shinyredthings@samsmithartguy@de_threlkeld@marywendelart@theartmines@hi.michaelhernandez@melissa_c_mariano@teneyenet@vzinsmeyer@artseenalliance@polis_interactive@nobigmealdeal@katinkadink
Big life update:
I have been hired by MeowWolf as a full time fabricator in Santa Fe NM. This is my last month as an Austinite for the foreseeable future. This is a dream job of mine and how incredibly exciting it is. Santa Fe is wonderful and I have so many lovely friends already there! And how lucky I am to go on this next big adventure with my shop wife Honey Buns (@cherayae ) But I am also sad. I love Austin and my community here so so very much. But since Austin is my hometown, and my family and friends are here, you know I will be back again and again, forever and always. This is a bittersweet moment for myself.
I hope to hug and squeeze y'all before I leave. I'm also still deep in building my current sculpture to be installed mid March. So please swing by the shop and hang! Plans for a going away shebang are in the works and I will keep y'all posted. I love y'all forever and always.
For those of you that are curious, this is the sculpture I'm in the process of.
Efflorescence is a vine made of latticed steel suspending upcycled metallic green painted plastic. There will be an array of kinetic flowers whose motion is triggered by people walking beneath it.
This piece will be suspended from the trellis in Ion Plaza in Houston temporarily.
This is a collaboration between @whiptaildesigns and myself! And we will have a ton of amazing humans helping us!
