Custom Lighting
As an artist and designer I approach lighting as an important part of the feel of a space. Lighting makes a huge difference in a space. I think one of the most overlooked elements in the design of space is the lighting. Although I have worked on lighting projects and providing sourced lights for many years, I just recently began to work on custom lighting design. We designed and produced the dinning room and patio for a restaurant and included many custom lighting applications for the space. This included using the restaurants name in lights, but the marquee lettering was inside facing down as a main lighting element rather than as only a sign. We designed and produced a series of custom glass blown pendants for this space as well. The glass blown lights hang in clusters over a custom 14' live edge community walnut slab table we designed and produced and a series of custom maple tables we also designed and produced. The back bar area has a color changing LED light below the bar, and the bottles are highlighted in glowing white light boxes behind the bar. Just down the street from this location we provided the lighting for a new gallery space as well. We produced twin custom tapered cast resin column that was back lit by LED lights surrounded in 14K gold which flank a large vanity for a very high profile Architect and even higher profile residence in a penthouse suite overlook Park West in New York. My wife and I have really taken to this medium and we are producing sculptural programmed LED lighting for public art works. In May of 2015 were invited by a cultural organization to Havana Cuba to attend the Havana Biennale and we given the opportunity to provide a site specific lighting installation at the studio of top Cuban artist Arturo Montoto. We were commissioned to produce a conceptual art lighting installation on a hydroelectric power plant that makes electricity from the water flowing through the building. The sounds of the river flowing were recording and then translated into the lighting. We were commissioned to provide a lighting installation on a walking skybridge between to high rise buildings. We would be honored if you would hire us to design and produce your next chandelier or lighting designed space. We have years of experience in design and fabrication, but also are working with some of the most cutting edge lighting components and technology which allows for many things that were note possible previously. If the budget and time frame is right we can make almost anything you could dream. I would estimate that most custom lighting projects take a minimum of 8 weeks and sometimes much more, but this will vary depending on how busy I am and what requirements you have. If you have a certain deadline or event you are trying to meet, please let me know ahead of time, so I can make sure that I can fulfill your needs. Thank you for letting me share my work with you. I always appreciate referrals, as they are praise from a satisfied client.
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As an artist, I found my love of objects at an early age. I was always drawing diagrams on napkins and discussing how things were made, like my father and grandfather. They owned and operated a display manufacturing business, so I was around design and material process from the beginning. My entrepreneurial career began around the age of seven, when I asked my dad to help me cut out some wood shapes on a small jigsaw, added color and sold them on the driveway. i was hooked.
After a year playing college football and throwing javelin in Indiana, I honed my art skills especially metal fabrication and casting finishing with a BFA in sculpture at the University of Kansas. During art school my brother Brian and I designed and made alternative clothing for the skate crowd. My wife and I began selling visual merchandising products to retailers, eventually garnering major clients all over the world. We also started HAVA studios to collaborate on creative projects which led to unique and very high end work. Many times I was providing the design and project management and not having the time to work on the making. I have had to carve out time to make art and also collaborated with my wife on award winning public art.
A few years ago, after chain saw carving a large 8' sculpture out of a huge spalted maple log. The wood cut away was so beautiful, so I carved my wife small piece and hung it on a silver chain. She received many comments and requests about the "wearable sculpture" pendant and I started making them for family and friends, and eventually galleries. Because splating is a natural process; like a finger print, there are no two alike. I expanded the hand carvings to earrings and rings, and then started making other objects including small freestanding sculptures and charcuterie/cheese serving boards, while filling custom requests for furniture and lighting as well as interior design.
My work is driven by my love of shape and form. I tend to be minimal in design. I work with whatever material is the best for the project but have an affinity for wood and metal. I also work in stone, acrylic, glass, resin, foam, and many other unique materials. I take commissions while also producing my original designs. My fine artwork is available upon request.
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