A ROOM OF CALM LIGHTING INSTALLATION LIVERPOOL LIGHT NIGHT 2018

Everything in our sensory world plays it part, I see and think in pictures and movement, a piece of music can be the start point for a piece of work a recent example of this was a lighting installation I created for Liverpool Light Night in LIPA. Having being a huge admirer of all things Brian Eno for quite sometime I happened upon his beautiful app “Bloom” co created with software developer Peter Chilvers, together they created a place where for once our smart devices can offer a stop off at calm and with the gentlest tap and play, become ambient music composers at the same time! What is not to like there? With a choice of colour pallets included it triggered me to both share and replicate in some way a Room of Calm idea was planted.

some of the various colour choices you can play with Bloom

I have always being fascinated with light in general with the last few years at LIPA distilling this to a new appreciation of the effects on people of light and colour. Which leads me to another big inspirational artist who’s work influenced this project. Olafur Eliason, who has created some of the most stunning and sometimes questioning work with colour and light  and the effect this has on people engaging with them. One of his most memorable the Weather Project at Tate Modern when people began to sit and bathe in the SUN he created in the vast turbine hall

Weather Project Tate Modern 2003

Weather Project Turbine Hall Tate Modern 2003

His work inspirational in many ways with his strong focus on the ecological and sustainability, one of my favourite projects is the solar powered light now rolling out around the world where electricity is scarce and helping many to both work and study.

I have a great love of re-appropriating everyday objects and materials to both recycle and discover their attributes on a creative level. I knew I needed something big for the proposed space and that it must emit light in a soft and glowing way, from my photographic history worked with perspex backlit backgrounds, which transmit light in such a beautiful way. So where to find something ?

One of my clients happened to be just that and industrial plastics manufacturer ! I know the gods of fate were on my side aligned with the fact that as a bit of cheeky bugger in the approach that in if you don’t ask you will never know and you never know people may say yes!  Which they did ! really interested to see what I could do with some of their huge diverse range and turn them into a three dimensional bloom! Fun with drills, strings of LED fixtures ,me and my team of helpers set about creating the Room of Calm . I had researched and created a range of colours that have being proven to lower the heart rate and aid relaxation, these moved around the installation during the 10 min performance, accompanied by a sound track of course Brian Eno a new piece called Reflection .

And then there is my custodian of the space Molly a 3rd year acting student, I wanted people to be encouraged to interact with the piece so with her gentle voice and slow actions she also occupied the space to help the public find their spot to either sit or as some did be enveloped by the light .

Many Thanks to Stamford Plastics Mailbox Division for your support

press release in Food Processing Magazine

Personal thanks to Rhys Carl, Lydia Grandi, Josh Hibbert and Thomas Ashcroft for your help and the patient Theatre Technicians at LIPA

here are some links to enjoy

https://youtu.be/JEBofVEEeIE

https://olafureliasson.net/archive/artwork/WEK101003/the-weather-project

https://littlesun.com/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lipaliverpool/albums/72157670750983827

Developing the new Tracey Gibbs Video/Lighting Designer

So my journey studying Theatre & Performance Technology at LIPA Liverpool is entering it’s final year, the first observation is whoosh where has that gone? closely followed with both a sense of sadness that the journey now has a finish post and a tinge of nervous excitement about where my creative path will follow now?

So here in blog land I am going to expand on my methods of approaching projects for the theatre and beyond.

Every designer has their way of approaching a production for me the design process begins with the story, be it the spoken word or the unspoken delivery of dance, the chance to interpret both the narrative and the directors vision and working in close collaboration with other creative’s on the team.

The story triggers a journey of research from many realms then to experimentation and creative bliss, reading through or listening to the creative treatment people are looking for to the end product and that tentative step into the weeks of production. A what a world we now occupy to fuel and discover inspiration , where do I go first ? well it can vary but music is one of my big triggers to begin the thoughts along with the all important story . And then there is the set design, this combined with the directors thoughts is a truly pivotal moment in the process, seeing the initial white card giving me a sense of scale and space that will ultimately become my playground.

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Geek Chic with James Roberts Hair & Beauty

So here is a little bit of info on me, I am a Leo Virgo cusp go figure!

What relevance does this have on this blog you ask?

Well I am more a Leo, that for some holds the trait of being very up there when it comes to their hair. Yes guilty as charged, maintaining my mane is a big one. Added to the desire to feel good and have a personal style I am and have been a dedicated glasses wearer for a good 20 years. Over that time I have seen the glass design and fashion revolution, gone are the days of boring dull frames. New materials, great designers all come together to make glass wearing not only fashionable but also a real style statement.

So back to photography, I have worked with James for, well we did work it out eek! This year will be near 20 years!

Over this fab time we have created some competition winning images for Wella Trendvision and L’Oreal Colour Trophy and collections for his Manchester Salon.

With spring in the air we began to plan the next shoot for this years L’Oreal Colour trophy and the salon. Sitting with James and Hannah the idea to include and indeed celebrate the fashion of glasses was born.

With a combination of models and clients for the shoot the geek chic idea came to life in the salon a week later. We covered each style with and without glasses, I of course am biased and lean towards the ones with frames .

Also featured for the boys was the man bun, something a little different. I like this little feature from men’s magazine GQ about them

http://www.gq.com/story/am-i-man-enough-for-a-man-bun

We decided to keep the boys palette in the greys but I wanted to create a layered feeling in the lighting. This was done using a lightbox above camera angled acutely up, creating the zoned drop off I wanted.

They are through to the regionals that will be held in Manchester Monday 11th April so good luck guys, wonder if the model will be wearing glasses?

Working with the very creative and talented stylist Kerry Jones

http://www.representedby.me/

One of our finest MUA’s Ruth Manion Palmer

http://www.rmpmakeup.co.uk/

Fab models from

http://www.rmpmakeup.co.uk/

Frames from

http://www.framed-online.com/

James Roberts Hair & Beauty 

http://www.jamesrobertshairandbeauty.co.uk/

Ending with this fun society founded here in Manchester of which I am proud to be a member

https://www.facebook.com/TheSocietyOfTheSpectacles/timelin