The wait is over!

My application to Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) has been submitted!

I can finally share what I’ve been working on.

In this newsletter, I’ll be focusing on the backstory of my concept for PDXWLF.

Read through to the end to learn where I’m headed with this concept!

HOW IT ALL CAME ABOUT
As I mentioned in previous newsletters, all of my recent work—for clients and myself—has revolved around a computer. There was too much sitting and too much screen time. I needed to rethink my decision of focusing solely on projection art.

There was no question that I wanted to continuing working with light, however it needed to be within my capabilities (or somewhat easy to learn) and something that I would enjoy making even when things got tough.

I rifled through my internal catalog of favorite things and pondered how I could infuse light into them. I kept coming back to fiber art.

I’ve been crocheting for a very long time, and I love making things despite how frustrating it is when I miscount or misread the pattern and have to pull out rows of stitches. I used to make dozens of friendship bracelets as a kid and still have my purple plastic toolbox full of embroidery thread. Every once in a while I make cross-stitch for gifts.

Down the rabbit hole of research I went to determine whether or not illuminated fiber art was a plausible idea. I came across Kirsten Baade, an Australian multidisciplinary artist who had previously done cross-stitch with EL wire and embroidery with fiber optic cable.

Though I was unsure of how I would make it work, knowing that it was possible was enough for me to move forward with making a plan.

Being a big fan of conceptual artists Barbara Kruger and Jenny Holzer, and text-based art in general, I liked the idea of stitching a phrase.

EXECUTING THE IDEA
There were two options for lighted thread: EL (electroluminescent) wire and side glow fiber optic cable.

EL wire was the easiest option, but it’s finicky. It doesn’t like sharp bends so if I’m not careful with stitching, I could cause dim spots along the length of the wire. It’s also not rated for outdoor use, which severely limits my display options down the line. While the Portland Winter Light Festival does offer the ability to display indoors, most festivals don’t.

That left me with side glow fiber optic cable. It’s not quite as bright as EL wire and it’s a bit more complex to install since the cable is separate from the light source. However, it’s more forgiving of bending and any easier to repair. If any of the light strips on the installation fail, they can be replaced without needing to remove the fiber optic cable.

You might be familiar with end glow fiber optics as those are used frequently in home decor, like the photo below. Side glow fiber optics are a similar material but the source light illuminates the entire cable, not just the end.

To send light through the cable, I’ll be using individually addressable LED strips. Individually addressable means I can program each light on the strip individually using a microcontroller (essentially a tiny computer).

To connect the cable to the strip so the light shines through it, I’m 3D printing brackets with tubing that will go over the LED strip.

THE INSTALLATION

To make the piece more dynamic, I separated the phrase into two segments. “Never lose your sense of” will be static white and “WONDER” will be animated color shifts.

The entire piece will be approximately 48” x 48” and framed just like a picture frame, with an acrylic panel protecting the stitches in front. It will be attached to a base that sandbags and/or weights can sit on because I am no stranger to gusting wind!

To recap, I’m currently learning:

• Basic electronics (to ensure everything is weatherproof, powered correctly, and nothing shorts out, melts, or starts on fire)

• Basic C++ programming (to power and animate the lights)

• 3D printing (to make the brackets that hold the cable in place over the light)

All of that on top of brushing up on my basic carpentry skills!

WHAT I’M WORKING ON NOW
As much as I’d like to move forward with building the installation now, financially and spatially it makes sense to hold off until I hear back from PDXWLF.

However, that doesn’t mean I can’t build something smaller…

Smaller art allows me to be more flexible and think beyond festival installations.

Home decor available for purchase?

Rental decor for other types of events, like weddings?

There are a decent amount of possibilities!

With my current lack of knowledge, bringing this idea to fruition has been like trying to solve a ridiculous word problem.

If train A leaves the Saint Paul station at 8:05am headed toward Milwaukee and you have 10 apples, how many apple pies can you make before you arrive in Milwaukee?**

It’s not impossible, but it’s definitely frustrating. The more I learn, the easier it becomes. It just takes time.

As always, thanks so much for being here! I’m incredibly grateful for your time and support.

Until the next newsletter, be well!
Giesla

**The answer is one. It takes about 8 apples (depending on the size of apples) and a little over 5 hours to prep and bake a pie. The train takes a little over 6 hours to get to Milwaukee without delays. However, you need to acquire and remember to pack all of the other ingredients. Also, the kitchen and oven on the train is strictly for staff, so there’s the additional problem of needing to convince them to use it to make your pie. Good luck!

If you’re able and would like to help support my work financially, click the button below to make a donation! Any support I receive goes directly toward purchasing the tools I need as well as living expenses.

If you feel more comfortable giving to me directly, my Venmo is @giesla and CashApp is $giesla.

Thanks so much for your consideration!