Dorothy Tanner (Jan 30, 1923 – July 23, 2020)
photo of Dorothy Tanner by Jeff Nass
Marc Billard and Barry Raphael wrote this in 2020 and have updated some of the information as we post this on the anniversary of Dorothy’s passing: Marc Billard and Barry Raphael wrote this in 2020 and have updated some of the information as we post this on the anniversary of Dorothy’s passing:
Dorothy Tanner passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of July 23, 2020. She was 97 years old. Dorothy and Mel Tanner (1925-1993) are the co-founders of Lumonics, among the first and longest-running light art studios in the US, originating in 1966. Since arriving with her team in Colorado in 2008, Dorothy had many highly-acclaimed exhibits, including a retrospective at the Museum of Outdoor Arts (Then & Now: A Retrospective of Light-Based Sculpture by Dorothy & Mel Tanner) and the Lumonics Mind Spa – Stretching the Body, Mind, and Spirit at the McNichols Civic Center Building, the longest exhibit in the Building’s history. Dorothy was a recipient of the Denver Mayor’s Arts and Culture Award for Innovation in the Arts, “presented to an individual or organization that is breaking new ground in the arts and whose contribution to innovation in the arts has been significant.”
In October, 2018, she co-founded the Lumonics School of Light Art with long-time associate Marc Billard, who is the course instructor. Students are taught how to make lighted cubes and columns, which were among the first geometric shapes created by the Tanners in the early days of their art form.
Long-time team members, Marc Billard and Barry Raphael, continue the project, most notably Lumonics Immersed: “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. If you want to get away, Lumonics will take you there.”
Billard and Raphael established the Lumonics Legacy Project for the continuation of the project. Barbara Billard, who also volunteered for the project in 1972, passed in 2023. We want to thank all the wonderful people in Denver who have made us feel so welcome and contributed to the success of Lumonics. And thank you to the many people from all over the country and world who have expressed their appreciation for the Tanners and their art these past years.
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