I found Lumonics when I was starting college when they were located in Ft. Lauderdale; probably around 2002. A couple of my friends wanted to check out one of their night events.

 When we entered, I immediately was entranced by the unique light sculpture art fixtures. There were smaller rooms that were adorned with this art, a larger room with wall art and displays all around with cozy floor seating, and a back dance room that played electronic music. At the end of the night, there was a light show to Dorothy’s spoken words. I found the whole experience amazingly magical. 

I was intensely drawn to this unique space and continued to attend the events on my own. I felt a shared sense of community with this group of people of all ages who made me feel at home.

 Little did I know then how much this experience impacted my inner world. Not only did it provide a safe place for me to experience this one of a kind music and art, I believe the exposure was a core part of the development of my own creative experience and expression.

The anniversary of Dorothy’s passing made me conscious of what I’ve always known and believe that we all are enriched by being immersed in artistic expressions of all kinds. I know that exposure has been life changing for me, and I’m forever grateful to the Lumonics community for keeping the project going all these years.

Even though they are now located in Denver, CO, their social media pages continue to enhance my days on this planet, and remind me of their impact on my life so many years ago.  

Your community really gave me an appreciation for art that has followed me through life. It even influenced me to expose my own kids to similar spaces.

Lou Pizante

Many thanks to Lou Pizante for writing about the Lumonics Legacy Project

Denver’s Lumonics Legacy Project is taking the term “retro revival” to new, illuminated heights, aiming to preserve the trippy brilliance of Mel and Dorothy Tanner’s 1969 light sculptures. Barry Raphael and Marc Billard, the dynamic duo now in their seventies, are fundraising $30,000 to breathe new life into over 200 stored sculptures, all while hosting immersive shows that would make Burning Man blush. Their ultimate goal? Create an art center so dazzling, it could turn any skeptic into a starry-eyed believer.

To support the ongoing Lumonics Legacy Project, see the Spotfund campaign website. Lumonics Immersed happens at 8 p.m. every Saturday, Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery, 800 East 73rd Avenue, Denver.

*Lou Pizante is the co-editor of The Experientialist, a a newsletter that “charts the intersecting parallels of design, technology, culture, and commerce”.