Illuminated Objects
These pieces are artistic experiments conducted over the past ~20 years that do not fit neatly into the other categories. (Or there are not enough pieces yet to present them as their own category). They demonstrate Janet's tendency towards remixing techniques and themes as new materials become available.
The oldest in this category, Tornado (2002), is made with animated white EL wire. Space Toy (2005) uses many different colors of traditional (single-color) LEDs to achieve pulsing and color changing effects.
The rest are made with more modern RGB LED pixels that are individually addressable. Sound Bar (2014) and Rainbow Giraffe Pillow (2014) were two early projects that embedded these pixels in home decor items, and controlled them with a sound reactive driver.
Dark Hexagon (2018) is a wall hanging with similarities to both the Comforters series and the Illuminated Rings series. It uses foam hemispheres to diffuse and isolate the light coming from the LEDs, emphasizing the boundaries between them as if they are distinct pixels in a low-resolution display. The Spherical Houseplant (2021) uses the same foam hemispheres in a 3D arrangement.
Science is Real (2020) adds text-based commentary to the mix, with an assembly of illuminated boxes inspired by Scrabble tiles.
Triangulation (2021) explores hexagonal tiling and kaleidoscopic effects similar to some of the patterns in the Comforters, but in a 3D form that can also be physically manipulated into a range of shapes.
Resisting Change (2023) uses discarded printed circuit boards and resistors to create a round design with RGB LED backlighting.
Enlighted Lotus (2023) uses backlighting behind fabric windows (similar to the technique used for Science is Real), to create flowing color-changing patterns similar to the Illuminated Rings series, but with more of an emphasis on the negative space between shapes.
Hex Box 1 (2023) revisits the optical illusions of Open Hexagonal Lattice 1 (1996), using animated LEDs instead of static colors of acrylic paint.
Soft Window 1 and Soft Window 2 (2023) are fabric panels with embedded lighting that are mounted on stretched canvas frames. The panels are divided into grids that resemble window panes.
Enlighted Echinoderm (2023) and Enlighted Toroid 1, 2, and 3 (2024) use a 16" toroid base as the main foundation to support the LEDs and various fabric treatments.
