Ars Gratia Artis
We genuinely understand why the film company MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) chose the above Latinized expression to represent their company. Except for the occasional amazingly talented elephant, Art, for its own sake, is unknown in the animal kingdom, except for humans.
Yes, you might make a good case for the Bowerbird or the Pufferfish as artists, or stunningly competent architects. You might be right, too, but their brains are so tiny that it is hard to imagine they are running on much more than instinct and need, and not a desire to be creative, or interpret their environment.
Humans, on the other hand, engage in this sort of activity regularly. It can take the form of paint on canvas, sculptures in every material from stone to metal, and even delves into such esoterical media such as water fountains and topiary. We, humans, are forever trying to express ourselves in one way or another.
You can see it in the way we create columns, flying buttresses, crenellations, and spires. We incorporate arches, and courtyards, and vast seas of greenery around the places where we live. Unfortunately, all that exterior artwork and beauty vanish at night or can be subject to stark, unflattering illumination, which pleases no one.
Why Illuminations Lighting Design?
Whomever the artist, and wherever the artwork is located, you can trust the professionals at Illuminations Lighting Design to create and implement a fine art lighting theme that will showcase your collection in the best possible light—and we always do that on a budget you can afford. Our trained fine art lighting veterans will make your art collection look magnificent!
Indoors
Paintings, sculptures, and art nouveau (in all its forms) that won’t easily withstand the rigors of the outdoors find their place in our homes. If a room is over lit, there is a good chance that your artwork will be lost in the wash of light. If it is comfortably dark and cozy, there is an equally good chance it will be overlooked.
We achieve a perfect balance, with specialty lighting that emits neither ultraviolet nor infrared radiation (which can harm your artwork). Instead, we use illumination that is confined to the visible spectrum and selected to bring out the most important features of your art.
More importantly, with projector lights and silhouette elements, we can precisely illuminate just the object, and not the surrounding walls, ceilings, or furniture. You can still enjoy your cozy and relaxed atmosphere, but without losing your art in the darkness. Have a look and at our gallery of fine art lighting to see many examples of our award-winning work.
Cabinetry
Sometimes our pleasure is derived from small, exquisite, collectibles which don’t lend themselves to individual spotlights. Instead, we place them on shelves or in cabinets so that they can be seen all together, as we appreciate all their intricacies.
Cabinets and shelves can be dark places, which is why we recommend low-voltage LED Phantom™ lighting (which is now in use worldwide). This style of cabinet lighting is carefully integrated so that it appears sourceless—it never dazzles or glares—it just provides the perfect ambient glow. And the same principle applies to bookcases full of ancient tomes, your collection of vinyl LPs, stamps, coins, or memorabilia. It can all be beautiful…in the right light!
Outdoors
We are also experts at illuminating your landscaping or your architecture and casting it in the best light possible. For almost 40 years now we have been illuminating art in all its forms—indoors and out—that is actually how we got started in the business! Feel free to read about our founders Jim Stephens and Tom Kretzschmar and how our story began!
Maybe you have brass, or marble statuary sprinkled around your property. Perhaps you have a little cloister specifically filled with giant freeform ceramics or even retro-kitschy little garden gnomes. Whatever it is, we can make it beautiful, at any hour of the day.
If you have columns and antebellum porticos, we can make them pop for your visitors and guests. We achieve this through indirect illumination, and always make sure the sightlines have no point-source and are glare free.
We apply the same principles to topiary and statuary. Illuminating trees or other landscape features should draw the eye, not cause people to shade their eyes from the glare. Have a look at our gallery of outdoor lighting to give you some ideas about what is possible.
The Takeaway
While we are based in Houston, Texas, our art-lighting consultants travel nationwide to design lighting for some of the most prestigious art collections in the world. ILD is the only “one-stop” destination for lighting design services, engineering, landscape lighting services, and installation in the whole state of Texas. We are unrivaled by any lighting firm in the United States for lighting that is art.
As homes grow larger and needs become more complex, having a single resource provides homeowners with peace of mind. This translates into a smoother, faster process, reduced costs, and a better end product.
We would love to hear from you, so pick up the phone and give us a call at 713-863-1133 so you can learn more about our fine art lighting company before we begin your journey towards perfect art lighting.
PHANTOM™ is a registered trademark of Phantom Lighting Systems, LLC.
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