Mar 21

How Triptic came into this world

Tryptic by Dorothy Tanner (1998)

In the mid-1970s, 2 students from Miami Beach High School, David Chesky and Bill Borkan, came to Lumonics after school one day to introduce themselves.  I thought of them as whiz kids.

David played a Mini-Moog Synthesizer, and soon after we met him, composed some music for one of our Lumonics performances. He went on to become a composer of avant-garde music in New York City, founded   an ensemble,  and the record company he started,  Chesky Record is still going strong. We are still in touch with David.

Bill loved electronics and music, and was a  radio DJ for a popular jazz station in Miami while still in high school. Bill was totally devoted to his younger sister, Jenny, who had cerebral palsy.  He asked us to made a sandwich holder for Jenny which made eating so much easier for her. After all, acrylic glass (plexiglass) was and is an industrial material before artists discovered it, and you can make many “practical” things with it. 

We lost track of both of them, and we left South Florida for quite a few years.  After we lived in San Diego, Bangor, Maine, and Boston, we returned to Fort Lauderdale rather than Miami.

A few years after Mel Tanner died (1993), Bill surprised us with a visit. We had a lot of catching up to do!
He told us he graduated from  Carnegie-Mellon, and invented a device to benefit his sister that would send an electrical signal to relax the spine . It was so effective that it was used in hospitals all over the world. He became very wealthy.

Bill commissioned Dorothy to create a large lighted wall sculpture for his new home. Dorothy told him that she works with external lighting, and he should select one of Mel’s wall pieces. He was emphatic that he wanted Dorothy to create it The result was  a triptych, named Triptic,  which was 10′ high and 24′ wide.

Prior to this, Dorothy had not created an internally lighted sculpture, not wanting to do the same thing as Mel, although they did collaborate. 

We had a lot of plans with Bill as it was so good to be in touch again. He spent a good part of the year in Hawaii and had a small shopping center with a theater that he wanted us to get involved with.

Out of the blue, he had a heart attack and died. We found out recently that Jennie is now 57.

Since Triptic was made, Dorothy has created many internally lighted sculptures, both free-standing and wall sculptures.

Feb 23

LUMONICS CONTINUES TO LIGHT UP DENVER WITH ITS IMMERSIVE ART EXPERIENCE

by JESSICA HUGHES | FEBRUARY 23, 2023 | 303 Magazine

photo of the west wall of Lumonics by Jessica Hughes, 303 Magazine

Re-immerse yourself in the arts with the original immersive art show in Denver, Lumonics Immersed. Tucked away from the city lights, just north of downtown Denver, the Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery is among the first and longest-running light art studios in the United States.

Lumonics Immersed is the creation of late artists Dorothy and Mel Tanner, who began this immersive light art experience in Miami in 1969. The Tanner’s vision and purpose of Lumonics expanded and made its way to Denver with the help of long-time admirers of their art — Barry Raphael and Marc and Barbara Billard, who now run the studio. Their first experience with the artists’ work was in 1972 and it had such a profound impact on each of them they offered their continued support for the project. 

photo of section of the Lumonics Gallery by Jessica Hughes, 303 Magazine

Lumonics Immersed is a transformative multi-sensory art experience that is intended to bring you into a state of comfort and expanded awareness. “The intention of Lumonics Immersed is to relax and energize people and stimulate their creativity through the sound and light immersion, says Barry Raphael, archivist, and publicist at Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery. 

“We hope that it encourages people to go further in their endeavors and gain fresh insights. The combination of the light sculptures, original music and projection can become a catalyst for mind expansion.” 

The essential elements of the show include light sculptures, music and video. Each performance is orchestrated live and never repeated. The music used in the show was created in collaboration with Marc and Dorothy when she was in her 70s and 80s. It contains elements of classical, jazz, spoken word, world music and rock. The video has been a part of Lumonics since the 1970s as well and is based on the original live performances of the Tanners which consisted of the projection of hand-painted slides, live painting by the artists and overhead slide projectors. 

As no performance is alike, Marc continues to create music and video for Lumonics Immersed to evolve the experience. “We are always making new episodes so the experience is always different,” says Raphael. 

photo of center section of Lumonics by Jessica Hughes

While the exhibit currently on display is a past representation and preservation showcasing the works of Dorothy and Mel Tanner, Raphael and the team at Lumonics also focus on furthering the experience with new additions to the immersive show and the School of Light Art — an art school dedicated to the continued learning of light sculpture creation.

Light art sculptures on display at Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery. Photo by Jessica Hughes

Beyond its walls, Lumonics makes an artful presence in the Mile High City with past installations and permanent displays. Lumonics was the first exhibitor in The Galleri at Meow Wolf when they opened in 2021. A permanent display of Mel Tanner’s Postscript is now on display on the third floor of Convergence Station. They also have a permanent light sculpture at Fiddlers’ Green Amphitheatre in Greenwood Village, courtesy of the Museum of Outdoor Arts.

Furthering their reach with public art in Denver, the Lumonics Mind Spa is a concept of Dorothy. “The intention with the Mind Spas is to foster a state of relaxation and creativity for temporary or permanent private and public spaces, including offices and residences,” says Raphael. 

Dorothy Tanner in one of her residential Mind Spas. Photo provided by Lumonics.

Dorothy created Lumonics Mind Spas for the exhibits at the McNichols Civic Center Building, the City of Thornton Arts Center and the Understudy Gallery in the Denver Theatre District. A Lumonics Mind Spa would consist of Lumonics light sculptures, soft seating, a sound system, and a video screen in which they would furnish a colorful abstract video. People can contact them if they are interested in installation.

Attending one of their shows is the best way to understand the profound effect that Dorothy and Mel’s art had, not just on Denver’s art scene, but on all those who experienced it firsthand. See for yourself and attend Lumonics Immersed, held Saturday evenings at their studio.

Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery is located at 800 E. 73 Ave., Unit 11, Denver. The show is from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Doors open at 7:45 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Feb 17

Talent Keyhole Film Scenes at Lumonics

Director Michael Lauter filmed part of his sci-fi film noir, Talent Keyhole at the Lumonics Light & Sound Gallery. The film was recently released.

“Thanks again for allowing us to film in your amazing gallery, It immensely elevated the film’s aesthetic and quality!  The actress in these is Kris Luna, playing the character Kassandra.”

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Kassandra, a brilliant scientist, is recruited into a defense contractor’s top secret SCIF where she’s entangled in a dangerous espionage mission.

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Director Michael Lauter pulls from his personal experience working in a Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF) to beautifully blend science-fiction, espionage, romance, and film noir to bring “Talent Keyhole” to life and create a once-in-a-lifetime cinematic experience. The film’s title is a reference to the United States’ space-based reconnaissance program. *
* excerpted from “Talent Keyhole Feature Film World Premiere”

Actress Kris Luna in the Lumonics Gallery

Actress Kris Luna in the Lumonics Gallery

Feb 10

Lumonics Light Art in Pompano Beach, FL

A long-time friend of Lumonics from South Florida had purchased light art of Dorothy Tanner and Mel Tanner over the years. His living room includes a wall sculpture, Star Map, some free-standing light sculptures, and some table-top sculptures including one of Dorothy’s water sculptures. He sent us a recent photo:

Living room with the light art of Dorothy Tanner and Mel Tanner