Work samples

  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills

    "Distant Hills" uses RGB LED strips behind a diffusing screen to make luminous colors. Custom programming on a digital micro-controller produces color-changes.

    18"w x 24"h x 6"d. Constructed from December 2024 through January 2025.

    Color-change speed and overall brightness can be controlled by the user.

    Available for Purchase
  • Hidden Landscape
    Hidden Landscape

    Hidden Landscape is color-changing light art.  Made in 2024.   18"H x 24"W.  Slow fading between colors creates an evolution of the color composition.

    Available for Purchase
  • Ancient Urban
    Ancient Urban

    Ancient Urban is color-changing light art.  Made in 2024.  24"H x 18"W.

    Available for Purchase
  • Back of Beyond
    Back of Beyond

    Back of Beyond is color-changing light art. 24"H x 36"W. Made in 2023,

About Daniel

My interest in color and color perception became focused when I studied Albers' "Interaction of Colors" in college. I started to work on methods to change colors on a screen using dimmable colored light sources. My continuing goal has been to use color interactions and afterimages as an active component of visual art. My current work, which I call "color-changing light-painting,"  uses a translucent plastic screen on the front of a box about 3.5" deep. RGB LED strips are arranged inside on… more

"Distant Hills"

"Distant Hills" is a color-changing light painting. It uses RGB LED strips with a digital micro-controller.

18"w x 24"h x 6"d.   Constructed Dec 2024 through Jan 2025.

Color fade slowly from one to another. The user can control the rate of color-change and the overall brightness.

  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills
    Available for Purchase
  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills

    A box encloses the lights. User controls can be seen on the side of the box in this view.

  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills

    Composite view shows a series of color-states that appear as the colors change.

  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills
  • "Hidden Landscape"
  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills
  • Distant Hills
    Distant Hills

    Composite image of "Distant Hills" in successive color-states.

    Available for Purchase

"Hidden Landscape" - light painting

"Hidden Landscape" is made with RGB LED strips and a micro-controller.

24"w x 18"h x 6"d.

  • Hidden Landscape
    Hidden Landscape

    One color-state. Colors have constant slow changes.

    Available for Purchase
  • Hidden Landscape

    "Hidden Landscape" is a color-changing artwork.

  • Hidden Landscape
    "Hidden Landscape"
  • Hidden Landscape
    "Hidden Landscape"

    "Hidden Landscape" is a color-changing light-panting.

"Relevator" - light painting.

The design of “Relevator” references traditional color diagrams. As the colors change, color relationships within the composition change, and the impression conveyed by the composition evolves. This unusual type of evolution is essential to color-changing light art. As I continue this work, I am interested in how color-change acts in different compositional arrangements. I avoid random color groupings by intentionally selecting "clusters" of colors that seem to have a coherent quality as the hues shift in time.

Layering the square-and-surround patterns lends a sense of depth to the composition. Every new light painting evokes new ideas for color-change programming. This piece may call for future development. Construction completed in October 2022. Dimensions: 18”w X 24”h X 5”d.

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  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in successive color states.
  • Relevator light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting.
    "Relevator" light painting in five successive color states.

"H'arp", a light painting.

"H'arp", a light painting.   Completed in September, 2022, this light painting has a more whimsical design. It is a move away from the orthogonal formality of other designs.   Dimensions 18" x 26" x 5" .  "H'arp" uses a digital microcontroller to program color-changes.
  • H'arp, a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
  • H'arp, a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting in four successive color states.
  • H'arp, a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
  • H'arp, a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
  • H'arp, a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
  • H'arp, a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.
    "H'arp", a light painting.

"Urban Breeze" - a light painting.

“Urban Breeze” introduces a sense of atmosphere into a light painting. The design is abstract, but sky and ground are implied, with color areas broken up or blended to lend lightness and air to the vista. 
Date: May 2022.       Size: 18”w x 24”h x 5”d.

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  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting. Made with RGB LED strips, with a programmable digital micro-controller.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting - in three color-states.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting - in three color-states.
  • Urban Breeze - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting.
    "Urban Breeze" - a light painting - in fifteen color-states.
  • Urban Breeze - light painting
    Urban Breeze - light painting

"Reddish Glance" light-painting.

"Reddish Glance" was made in 2021. It uses RGB LED strips with a programmable digital micro-controller.  Size:  18"W x 24"H x 5"D.
  • Reddish Glance light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
  • Reddish Glance light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
  • Reddish Glance light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
  • Reddish Glance light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
    "Reddish Glance" light-painting.
  • Reddish Glance in three successive color-states.
    "Reddish Glance" in three successive color-states.
    "Reddish Glance" in three successive color-states.
  • Reddish Glance in three successive color-states.
    "Reddish Glance" in three successive color-states.
    "Reddish Glance" in three successive color-states.
  • Reddish Glance in three successive color-states.
    "Reddish Glance" in three successive color-states.
    "Reddish Glance" in three successive color-states.
  • "Reddish Glance" - light-painting
    "Reddish Glance" - light-painting

"The Window" - light-painting

Color-change programming for  The Window  includes random color selections that are constrained by prescribed relationships of color-difference between areas in the composition.
Size:      18”w x 24”h x 5”d 
Materials: RGB LED strips, acrylic screen, wood cabinet. Partitioning of plastic, and wood.
                           Digital micro-processor with electronics.
User Controls: On/Off , Brightness, Color change-rate. 
Date:      2020-2021

  • The Window
    The Window
  • TheWindow
  • The Window
    The Window
    "The Window" in three color states.
  • The Window
    The Window
    "The Window" in five color-states.
  • The Window
    "The Window"
    "The Window" in five color-states.
  • The Window
    The Window
    "The Window" in five color-states.
  • The Window
    The Window
    "The Window" in five color-states.
  • The Window
    The Window
    "The Window" in 80 consecutive color-states. This image can be read like a comic book, showing how colors change in this piece. Patterns of change never repeat.

"Test Flight" - light-painting

"Test Flight"    - This light-painting is programmed to include desaturated color-states, which appear as pastels and shades of gray.
Materials:  RGB LED strips, programmable micro-controller,  wooden cabinet, acrylic diffusing screen.
Size:  24"h x 18"w x 5"d.
Date: 2021

  • Test Flight
    "Test Flight"
    "Test Flight"
  • Test Flight in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
  • Test Flight in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
  • Test Flight in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
  • Test Flight in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
  • Test Flight in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
  • Test Flight in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in five consecutive color-states.
  • Test Flight in 64 consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in 64 consecutive color-states.
    "Test Flight" in 64 consecutive color-states. Photos were taken at 5 to 20 second intervals while the light painting was running. Sequences do not repeat, and individual colorings only repeat by coincidence.

"Monolith", a light-painting... and... "Entrance II", a light painting.

The light-painting "Monolith" is designed to give a sense of depth, light, and reflection, even as the entire composition changes color.  Date:  2021.   Dimensions:  18”w x 24”h x 5”d       Materials:  RGB LED strips, acrylic screen, wood cabinet. Digital micro-processor with electronics.   User Controls:  On/Off , Brightness, Color change-rate.

"Entrance II", made in 2020, uses the symmetry of a gateway to juxtapose colors, and create hard and soft boundaries between color areas.    18”W x 24”H x 5”D  
Materials:     RGB led strips, acrylic screen, wood cabinet, partitioning of metal, wood, and plastic.
  • Monolith
    "Monolith"
    "Monolith" is a color-changing light-painting.
  • Monolith light painting.
    "Monolith" light painting.
    "Monolith" light painting in three successive color states.
  • Monolith light painting.
    "Monolith" light painting.
    "Monolith" light painting.
  • Monolith light painting.
    "Monolith" light painting.
    "Monolith" light painting in three color states.
  • "Entrance-II" light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
  • Entrance-II light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
  • Entrance-II light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
  • Entrance-II light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
  • Entrance-II light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
  • Entrance-II light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.
    "Entrance-II" light painting.

Paintings

I turn to painting for spontaneous contact with work that evolves even as it is made, in contrast to light-paintings, which require distinct stages of design and construction.

  • Spatter-pen Study 3
    "Spatter-pen Study 3"
    "Spatter-pen Study 3". Watercolor on paper. 22" x 15". 2017
  • Spatter-pen Study 2
    "Spatter-pen Study 2"
    "Spatter-pen Study 2". Watercolor on paper. 22" x 15". 2017.
  • Still Looking
    Still Looking
    Acrylic on canvas. 2017.
  • Prepare for Change
    Prepare for Change
    Prepare for Change. Acrylic on canvas, 2016.
  • Picnic in the Woods
    Picnic in the Woods
    "Picnic in the Woods" 2021 25.5" x 25" Acrylic on canvas panel with cedar sticks attached.
  • Iron Rocks, Silver Trees
    Iron Rocks, Silver Trees
    "Iron Rocks, Silver Trees" 2021, 25.5" x 17.5" Acrylic on canvas panel, rusted iron, cedar twigs.
  • Aerial Act watercolor painting.
    "Aerial Act" watercolor painting.
    "Aerial Act" watercolor painting. December 2012.
  • Spatter-pen Study 4
    "Spatter-pen Study 4"
    "Spatter-pen Study 4". Watercolor on paper. 15" x 22". 2017.
  • Two Pyramids
    "Two Pyramids"
    "Two Pyramids". Acrylic and watercolor on paper. 22" x 30". 2013.
  • Sometimes
    "Sometimes"
    "Sometimes". Acrylic on canvas. 2021.