May 03

Lumonics Legacy Project Aims to Keep Immersive Pioneers’ Vision Alive by Teague Bohlen, Westword

 

Lumonics Gallery and Performance Space on 73rd and Washington…for now.  Photo by Marc Billard

Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery has been around for decades, ever since artists Mel and Dorothy Tanner started working with light sculptures and sound to create immersive experiences back in 1969. Dubbed “Lumonics,” the unique art form was conceived to engage multiple senses — primarily sight and sound — simultaneously, providing audiences a deeper connection to the work and the world around it.

Barry Raphael and Marc Billard became part of the Lumonics artist collective in 1972, when they separately encountered what the Tanners were already deeply into. “It started for me when I walked into the Tanners’ gallery in Miami,” recalls Raphael, who was the first to join the collective. “I was a language arts teacher in Chicago at the time, and a friend of mine was splitting his time between Chicago and working down at Dade Community College. He told me about it, and I went. It was like the ultimate field trip for me. It was an amazing moment, seeing the theater the Tanners had set up and everything in it. My friend was thinking of trying to move it back up to Chicago, but that never happened. I never set out to move to Miami, but it’s just the way it happened. The experience had mesmerized me.”

“And I was working construction at the time in South Florida,” adds Billard. Mel Tanner’s sister was his neighbor at the time, and she’d told him he should go and check it out. It took him about a year to do so, but when he did, Billard says his reaction was remarkable. “Oh, my God,” he says. “I was speechless.” Mel asked him if he wanted to do some work with him. That was the beginning of Billard (along with his wife, Barbara, who passed away in the summer of 2023) working with the Lumonics collective, building many of the pieces from then on.

“It was Marc’s arrival and all his wonderful work that was really the first expansion point back then,” Raphael says. “He was able to create larger pieces with more detail, and that’s what Mel [Tanner] was working for.”

Mel was working with simple shapes before,” says Billard. “When I came in and got my fingers in it, it was able to become very different. Wall pieces and sculptures. New designs. It changed.”

 

Barry Raphael and Marc Billard have helped represent Lumonics for over fifty years

They brought the Tanners’ artistic legacy to Denver in 2008, where it’s resided ever since, and Raphael and Billard are working to ensure that the exhibitions survive and thrive for many years to come. They still put on immersive shows every Saturday night at the Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery, 800 East 73rd Avenue; tickets are still only $25, are limited to a small, intimate group only, and include refreshments as well as illumination. Tickets for that event and several others are available through Eventbrite.

But in terms of the future of the project, Raphael and Billard have started the Lumonics Legacy Project. They hope to raise $30,000 in order to preserve more than 200 Tanner light sculptures, as well as the Lumonics archives, which include collages, sketchbooks, hand-painted 35-millimeter slides, original projector tray paintings, preserved media articles, photographs and an expanding library of music visuals. In addition to raising money for creating a sustainable legacy and future, the crowdfunding effort plans to establish a Friends of Lumonics nonprofit, which will support partnerships to share Lumonics with the world.

“We’re in our seventies now,” smiles Raphael, “and are deeply committed to seeing this work remain accessible for future generations. What was once a collective of seven is down to just us two, but we have friends who’ve volunteered to help us create this Legacy Project.”

Specifically, Raphael hopes that the project will allow Lumonics to bring more than 100 pieces out of storage and work on restoring them, with more environmentally sound and long-lasting LED technologies, while still keeping within Mel and Dorothy Tanner’s original vision.

Raphael says that the final step of the Legacy Project would be for the whole collection and gallery to move one more time.

 

Apr 06

Field Trip Reactions from Educators and Students

We truly enjoyed hosting the 8th grade science students at the STEM Lab (Adams 12 Five Star Schools).

“Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery was an incredible experience that we used to kick off our problem-based learning unit called Decibel Detectives.  We are investigating solutions to sound pollution.  Noise pollution is classified as the second most important cause of causing health ailments around the world and is right behind air pollution. Research shows that about 40 million adults in the U.S. alone have hearing damage in one or both ears that may be due to noise exposure. In addition, as our population grows so do other noise pollution related health issues.  Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery recognizes the importance of how light and sound can be a transforming, healing, and regrounding experience. In a world where there is so much noise, we can and do have ways to make sound healing and the gallery gave us that experience today. Thank you for such a wonderful and immersive experience that calmed our minds and our bodies as we reconnected with the positive benefits of sound.”  -Liz English, STEM Coordinator STEM Lab

 

 
It was quite a surprise to get these thank you notes from the science students at Vail Mountain School that  attended a field trip to Lumonics.
 
 

 

Excerpts from  Papers  Written by High School Students Attending Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning

“Stepping into the Lumonics gallery was an expression that was extremely profound. It has  inspired me, as sculpture that is beautiful does not need to be made from the typical materials. It can be made out of modern materials and techniques.   Lumonics had made me think about what the true purpose of art is, and the different forms it can take. I am very grateful to have discovered this little oasis of sanity in  Denver. I appreciate all the effort and attention to detail in a world that wants to move so fast.” Eric N. Dingel,  Physics Teacher, Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning

“Art, for the most part, is really hard for me to comprehend and understand.  There is so much art in the world that I look and go ‘why is that being bought for $20,000?’ But there is also so much art that I see and it can make me feel emotions  just by looking  at it. This was the case at  Lumonics . When I was able to hear the story of the artists and then  see their art, I was able to comprehend the art on another level.” D.S., 11th grade

“The experiences that you create at your gallery are some of which I will never forget. The environment is breathtaking and hypnotizing.  Unlike many galleries you have made the perfect atmosphere. I think this is the most amazing aspect of your gallery because although the art alone is wonderful, the music, videos, and the space really brings it all together to make something out of this world. I really enjoyed my experience at Lumonics and I feel inspired by what I saw.” G. M., 10th  grade

“When my class and I went to Lumonics, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  All of the work was instantly so powerful and absolutely amazing. To see how the artists had worked with not only the physical shape and ideas they had for a piece and how the colors contributed to the idea, it really showed me how much emotion can be expressed through the uniqueness of the sculptures.” G.P., 10th grade

“The pieces I found most intriguing would be the ones that used mirrors in them because we have doing a lot of different things with the way light works and how mirrors and glass can affect that, and it is refreshing to look at it from a different perspective. I really could see a passion from everyone working there, and it was very inspiring to see someone passionate about the work that they do.” E.H., 10 grade

“I personally connected with the art pieces in a way that made me feel happy and see something new. The art also changed my perspective on many different things that are part of my  day to day life. This was an amazing museum and I would love to come back eventually.” S.M., 10th grade

“We live in a dimension characterized  by what we can see, hear and taste. However, every 1 out of a million people decide to look past the veil of solid into the world of the abstract. It’s in this state that a person really perceives how much they don’t know. This is what I believe you created with your artwork. You’ve tried to glimpse the unthinkable and present that in the physicality of this reality.  Thusly, the result  is beauty beyond human thought.” N. C-S, 12th grade

“Before I went to the Lumonics lab, I felt sort of staleness in my preferred medium (pencil on paper). I hadn’t really taken the time to consider different art styles, or even a different medium. The realization I had inside the  lab was there was such an enormous world of art I could explore. These sculptures used color, shapes, poses, and especially lighting in ways  I hadn’t thought about before. I had been feeling somewhat trapped in my own world. Now that I’ve gone back to my preferred world, the Lumonics experience enticed me to do more research. I realize now that there’s so much more that I can learn, and much more that I can do to improve. So here’s a thank you. Your little gallery made me realize that there is so much in this world, and the way light can make you feel.” B.L., 12th grade

“As a female artist growing  up in the 21st-century, I have always been so thankful for the women that have come  before me. I find it inspiring the dedication to the exhibits through her unconventional art.  Considering that the main artist behind these works of art is a 90-year-old woman who has been doing this for over 50 years is inspiring. I have artists such as Dorothy to thank for my acceptance in the art world as a female.” S.S., 11  grade

________

“Dorothy Tanner and Lumonics are true treasures in our Denver Community. The collective works of this group – a team which has been together for over four decades – is inspiring on many levels. As a cohort, this group of friends and comrades has brought to life the vision of Dorothy – to use light as a means of healing, and to produce art that has no other option but to bring joy to the viewer. Not many people can say they’ve dedicated their entire life to the single craft of creating, healing, and joy building. Dorothy and her team have done this – and as she enters the final chapter in a life well lived, recognition for her achievements is long overdue.”
-Jami Duffy, Denver Arts Advocate, Denver Cultural Affairs Commission Member, Artist, & Executive Director of Youth on Record.

 

Art and Well-Being

The relationship between art and wellness has been important to Lumonics since its inception in the 1960s.

Shanna Shelby, the Program Administrator at the McNichols Civic Center Building in Denver, when nominating Dorothy Tanner for the Denver Mayor’s Award for Innovation in the Arts in 2018, wrote about the increasing awareness of how art and mental health are connected: “Several panels at the national AFTA (Americans for the Arts) conference this year explored artistic approaches to community health. I believe that Dorothy’s vision is a prime example of how arts and wellness intersect and promote public health goals.”

 

“Through the years people have commonly reported having profound spiritual and emotional experiences while contemplating the Lumonics art pieces. It is possible that Lumonics is exerting its effect by creating an immersive experience that feels safe and soothing, but also stimulating and expansive.” Jomar P. Suarez, MD Therapeutic Potential of Lumonics

Apr 05

Letter of Support from Sedona Allen Moreno, Public Health Institute at Denver Health

Dear Reader,

Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery and Lumonics Light Art School has powerful healing
potential. When young people are given the opportunity to experience this artwork and partake
in the creation of it, it can increase social emotional skills and connectivity, while preventing
substance misuse. Our Youth Leadership Team, Engaging Youth Expertise – EYE For
Prevention, works to authentically engage young people with lived experience in substance
misuse and mental health struggles to collect and analyze data, to then come up with innovative
and creative projects and solutions to create a positive impact in the Denver community.
Through our data collection efforts that ranged from surveys, to our PhotoVoice Project, to focus
groups, we found that art is one of the most powerful protective factors there is, and we decided
to explore this as a prevention strategy.

In 2023 we launched our first ever youth-led EYE Summer Art Program, which is a 6-7
week long program aimed to create a space of belonging for young people to get to experiment
with different art forms each week, and learn from renowned local artists and elders in the
community. Now for two years in a row, we have started our EYE Summer Art program at
Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery, due to its rich history, the sense of wonder that is invoked
through experiencing the light art, and the unforgettable immersive experience. These elements
cultivate the perfect atmosphere to expose youth to a new form of artwork that can help connect
them to themselves and their spirituality, as well as others in the space. We are currently in the
process of publishing a paper that outlines the impact of the program, and we see evidence in
our quantitative and qualitative data analysis that this art program had a very positive impact on
the youth participants.

Since we decided to start the program at Lumonics, this is the first time the youth meet
each other as a group, so it is important to cultivate a sense of community where youth feel safe,
heard, and supported in their experience. We found through our data analysis this was a key
theme that arose as an essential part of the program being a success. This was also the beginning
of a profound process of shifting their understanding of art to uncover a deeper understanding
of self. The youth expressed through their reflections that they learned a lot from the experience,
yet still have more to learn. They expressed open-mindedness about how they were able to find
meaning in the act of creating artwork. There was also a shift in perspective from being focused
on the results of creating artwork, to the gratitude from the actual experience; trusting the
process to appreciate the outcomes even more. Some of the youth reflections from our workshop
at Lumonics last year include:

“I need to be in more safe, healing spaces like this. I learned that exposing myself to artwork
and to community is therapeutic and I should invest more time and energy into learning and
creating art.”

“Witnessing the light art gave me visions of birth and death. I was extremely moved by the
history of Lumonics and the impact this art and immersive sound and light experience had on
my soul.”

Back by popular demand, we wanted to start our second annual program at Lumonics
again. Our EYE For Prevention Team discussed the positive impact it had last year and decided
to continue our program the same way. Here are some of the reflections from the youth
participants this year:

“Art can look like things you never imagined. There’s so many possibilities. I thought that
making my synesthesia into art would be near impossible, but maybe I’m wrong. What could I
make using how I see the world, and how could I impact people? I can’t wait to explore that
more.”

“My biggest takeaway is that everyone has a different form of art that they connect to, but
each is beautiful in its own way. I felt that the light art allowed me to really think about life…”

Overall, Lumonics is a sanctuary for people of all ages and walks of life. This artwork
truly is healing and should continue to live on and make a profound impact in people’s lives and
in the community. EYE For Prevention, as a part of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health
fully supports Lumonics and advocates for their continued support, sustainability, and funding.
We want to continue to partner with Lumonics to be able to bring young people into the space
and participate in powerful art activities. We are extremely grateful for our partnership with
Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery and Lumonics Light Art School. Thank you for taking the time
to read this.

Sincerely,
Sedona Allen Moreno | Health Programs Specialist – Public Health Institute at Denver Health
Sedona.Allen@dhha.org | StrongerWithout.com | PHIDenverHealth.org | @EYEForPrevention

Apr 04

Illuminate: A Creative Experience

Illuminate: A Creative Experience 
Presented by The Creative Champion Collective

Thursday, April 30
5:30 pm to 8 pm
$30.00 


cards

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“Mythic Matt” Maes
Founder of Creative Champion Collective

Creative Champion Collective presents
Illuminate: A Creative Experience
Live at Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery | Thursday, April 30 5:30-8:00pm

Creative Champion Collective presents Illuminate: A Creative Experience in partnership with Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery—an immersive evening designed to awaken your creativity and reconnect you with the magic of being alive.

You don’t need to be an artist to belong here. If you’re human, you’re creative.

Whether you’re feeling inspired, stuck, curious, or simply craving something different, this experience invites you to step out of the ordinary and into something more expressive, connected, and alive. Together, we’ll explore creativity not as a talent, but as a vital force that shapes how we live, relate, and show up in the world.

If you believe in the power of creativity to heal, energize, and connect—and feel called to be part of something that uplifts that in others—this evening is for you.

We’ll provide snacks, drinks, and all the materials you need.
Just bring your curiosity, your presence, and a willingness to explore.

Appropriate for ages 12 and up.

What You’ll Experience
Immersion:
Begin with a dazzling, multi-sensory light and sound journey by Lumonics—created especially for this evening.

Expression:
Unlock your own creativity through Drawing Games—a playful, improvisational art experience designed by artist Matt Maes.

Transformation:
Close the evening with a powerful reflection on creativity—not just in art, but in how we live, connect, and shape the world around us.

Creative Champion Collective
We believe creativity isn’t a luxury—it’s a vital part of being human.
And in a world that often leaves us anxious, disconnected, or numb, creativity brings us back to aliveness, brilliance, and connection.

Led by Denver artist “Mythic Matt Maes”, the Creative Champion Collective is a beacon for human creativity with the mission of uplifting the arts and connecting creators with representation, mentorship and pathways to financial success.

 

 

Lumonics 800 E. 73 Avenue, Unit 11
Denver, CO 80229
lumonics@gmail.com
www.lumonics.net/illuminate
303.568.9406

 

For any questions or messages, you are welcoe to use this form:

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Apr 03

Sponsorship for the Lumonics Field Trip Program

 
Your sponsorship/contribution will help fund the Lumonics Field Trip Program:
 
Lumonics, among the first and longest-running light art projects in the U.S., provides a unique setting that offers a blend of artistic heritage, innovative installations, and a dedication to introducing this evolving art form to “students of all ages”.
 
The field trip is a blend of art and technology. The intent is to encourage attendees to exercise their imaginative powers and be inspired to go further in their endeavors. 
 
Our Audience:
1. From kindergarteners to seniors in assisted living (we are community partners with the Denver Public Schools Foundation).
2. For the developmentally challenged (we are community partners with Sample Supports)
3. For people seeking a substance-free and sober life (we are community partners with The Phoenix).
4. Art Students that attend the Lumonics School of Light Art (students have ranged in age from 8 to 85 so far)
 
 
 
 

One of the videos shown at Lumonics Immersed, Mountain Meditation 3 by Marc Billard, was accepted in the upcoming Tilting West: Defining A New Legacy Exhibition at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. The exhibit opens June 3 and ends on August 23, 2026. Here is an excerpt:

“The source material is Colorado car rides and hikes in the mountains, which I record using a mobile phone camera and/or Insta360 camera attached to the car window or mounted on the roof. I then transform the imagery in production, and add an original soundtrack. No AI!”
– Marc Billard
 

Read our blog about how we produce The Music and Visuals at Lumonics Immersed.  

 

Your sponsorship/contribution will help fund the field trip program, especially for the Title 1 Schools in Denver Metro where finances and school budgets are a barrier. The funding would go toward covering the expenses in preparing and presenting the field trips. We have a sliding scale from $250.00  to $150.00 or no charge for schools and organizations. Even $250 does not cover our costs. You can also sponsor a student to attend the 1-day class at the Lumonics School of Light Art.

 

We present the most up-to-date form of Lumonics. Our intention is to expand the boundaries of sensory engagement and artistic expression, and honor the Tanners’ contribution to light art and the immersive experience. Your support is appreciated.
– Marc Billard/ Barry Raphael

photo of Marc Billard (right) by Kevin J. Beaty (Denverite) photo of Marc by Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite * photo of Marc (right) by Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

 * photo of Marc (right) by Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

 

Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery
800 E. 73 Avenue #11
Denver, CO 80229
303.568.9406
lumonics@gmail.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
Some links to further familiarize you with our project that began in 1969:
 
Elements of the Field Trip
Girls Inc of Metro Denver Comes to Lumonics
Thank you note from an Educator
Lumonics Spring Newsletter (2026)
Imagine! Comes to Lumonics (Individuals of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities) 
Lumonics School of Light Art (sponsor a student for the class)
 
Lumonics is a community member of the Neuroarts Resource Center:
“Scientific studies increasingly confirm what human beings across cultures and throughout time have long recognized: we are wired for art. The arts in all of their modalities can improve our physical and mental health, amplify our ability to prevent, manage, or recover from disease challenges, enhance brain development in children, build more equitable communities, and foster well-being through multiple biological systems.”
 

“Because the brain is agile, exposure to arts of all kinds fosters interconnectivity across a vast and complex network populated by hundreds of billions of neurons, influencing how we process and perceive creative experiences.”
– Your Brain on Art : How the Arts Transform Us by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross


https://lumonics.net/neuroarts/
https://lumonics.net/your-brain-on-art-how-the-arts-transform-us/

 

 

Community Partners:

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Lumonics is honored to receive a grant from The Denver Theatre District Microgrant Program in the spring of 2026. It partially pays for the field trips to Lumonics of Title 1 Schools in the Denver Metro Area.

 

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