“Marc Billard stands inside Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery in Denver’s northern reaches (photo by Kevin J. Beaty, Denverite)
Hello! I am Marc Billard, the Lumonics Studio and Lumonics Immersed Creative Director.
I am an art teacher, craftsman, artist, videographer, photographer, curator, composer, and musician.
I worked closely over many years with light artists Mel and Dorothy Tanner, and have been a team member at Lumonics since 1972.
I also orchestrate live Lumonics Immersed.
I was born in 1949 in Norwalk, Connecticut, and grew up in various parts of Vermont. I moved to Miami in 1971 and did carpentry on new houses being built in Coral Gables. My life changed in 1972 when I walked into the Lumonics Light and Sound Theatre at the invitation of Jocelyn Tanner, the sister of Mel Tanner. I was astounded by the light sculptures that surrounded me. After conversing with the Tanners, I began to work part-time in the studio, apprenticing with long-time assistant Pete Adams. After a few months, Pete told Mel I was “ready”. I am still part of this project 50+ years later, taking on more and more roles!
one of my jobs before coming to Lumonics, working for the Vermont Marble Company, working in a quarry that was 400 ft below ground level
Artist Statement
“The highway from building only physical artwork (1972 to present) to creating music and video (1994 to present) has been an interesting and fulfilling journey for me. Many of the video works have been in collaboration with the now deceased founders of Lumonics, Mel and Dorothy Tanner, using techniques based on the more than 50-year history of Lumonics and its live multi-media installations.”
Contact Info:
954.531.9884 mobile
email
Projects include:
Teaching light art at the Lumonics School of Light Art
Marc Billard, instructing students
Art Fabrication
Art Installation
Art Curation
Lumonics Mind Spa: Thornton,
Thornton, CO
Light sculptures by Dorothy and Mel Tanner
Curation and Video by Marc Billard
Video produced by Marc Billard
Lumonics Mind Spa: Light Intersection
Understudy Gallery
DenverTheatre District
Light sculptures by Dorothy and Mel Tanner
Curated by Marc Billard
Photos by Third Dune Productions
Rendering by Marc Billard of the Lumonics Exhibit at Meow Wolf Denver Galleri
Rendering by Marc Billard of the Lumonics Exhibit at Meow Wolf Denver Galleri
Section of Meow Wolf Denver’s Convergent Station Galleri
Curated by Marc Billard
Photo by Marc Billard
The Storeroom Gallery
Denver, CO
Curated by Marc Billard
Photos: Artwork by students at the Lumonics School of Light Art and Dorothy Tanner
Outdoor Art
I worked closely with both Dorothy and Mel Tanner in the fabrication of the light sculptures since I joined the project in 1972. I worked particularly closely with Dorothy Tanner when her eyesight declined because of macular degeneration and glaucoma. Mrs. Tanner had an interest in creating outdoor sculptures and it is now coming to fruition. To continue their Lumonics art form, I have been designing outdoor light sculptures, adapting them from existing Tanner art works and using art materials suited for weather conditions.
Here is an example of my design for an outdoor light sculpture, which as not yet been built.
I virtually “placed” it in downtown Denver near the Understudy Gallery where we exhibited:
Mock-up of Split Second by Marc Billard
Adapted from a Mel Tanner light sculpture
Double Sided
Black anodized aluminum frame
Plexiglass color and painting inserts
12-14 feet tall x 5-6 feet wide
Video
Video at Daniels & Fisher Tower
1601 Arapahoe St. on the 16th Street Mall.
Night Lights Denver
“Night Lights Denver is a permanent way for The Denver Theatre District to support innovative artists with an experimental platform while attracting people downtown to experience a free, unique, surprise-and-delight experience.”
photo by David Moke
Three of my videos were selected for Denver Digerati’s Silent Screen Walking Tour 2020. They were shown in the Denver Theatre District on Saturday, Sept 19th, 2020 at the following location screens:
14th and California
14th and Arapahoe
16th and Arapahoe
imagery at 14th and Arapahoe
The music video, New Mexico, in collaboration with late artist Dorothy Tanner, was selected in the Supernova Digital Animation Festival, 2020.
