Harmonographs.
As a physics & astronomy teacher, I became very interested in the amazing patterns created when mulitple cyclic motions interact. I've explored this by making many types of harmonographs, including pendulum-based "drawing tables", stationary multiple-motor drawing machines, a model lunar rover for tracing out patterns in the regolith, a computer controlled laser etcher, a robot that draws these patterns on light bulbs, and of course, many types of computer-created cyclic patterns derived from interacting mathematical equations. Here is one of those, with some of my music ->
Circular Photography
I first became interested in "fisheye" photography as an offshoot of panoramic photography and VR methods that were merging in the 2000's. Using a large kite, I flew a full fisheye lens over Hawaii, Easter Island, and grey whales in Baja California. With my current interest in circular projection screens, I've recently rediscovered my thrill for creating these immersive still and moving images, but with muuuuuccch better gear than the early digital stuff from 20 years . Here's a recent experiment, set to some of my electronic music. ->
LIGHT ART: the intersection of Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, Optical Illusion, & wonder
Parabolic Projection Screens
I frequently had the privilege of running the University of Washington's Planetarium, and I saw an opportunity to develop a kind of small planetarium in my classroom, with an out-of-service 10 foot diameter fiberglas satellite dish. It worked marvelously, and since then, I've installed the dish as the central feature in 5 different locations, running for a total of about 100 days over the last years, and seen by 1000's. Working with another teacher partner, we've been developing a lightweight portable version called the SkyDome (you can find out more here) that we hope will be adopted by many teachers. Here's a short movie of the dish at the Lusio Light Art festival in August 2021. ->
Circular/spherical/fisheye
projection content
I've been very busy creating astronomy content for the parabolic projection screens. But beyond the stuff in the heavens (which is amzingly well-suited for this kind of projection), there's a world of "circular content" I've been experimenting with. Here's one on eyeballs, which looks amazing when it's ten feet tall. ->
recent & upcoming installations & festivals where I've shown "light art"...
•Portland Winter Lights Festival , February 1 -14th 2022
•Seattle Night Market, Indoor install at Magnuson Park, September 23rd & 24th 2022
•Lusio Light Festival 2022; August 19 & 20, @ Mary Olson Farm , Auburn, Wa
•Yuri's Night @ Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle, Wa
•Shine On Seattle: downtown Seattle winter light festival (3 month installation 12/21-2/22 in storefront)
•Lusio Light Festival August 2021 @ Mary Olson Farm, outside of Seattle.
•Burien Arts-a-Glow light Festival, September 2021, Burien, Wa
•Camano Island State Park Amphitheater presentation, 8/21 live 8 channel ambient music by Rob Angus
we've been developing the SKYDOME, a convex circular screen for projection. Its shape helps create a convincing 3D illusion, and is particularly good with astronomy-themed content. You can find out more about it HERE.