Artistic Statement
Theatre has become a way for me to express myself in a way that I never had been able to before—I could always picture vivid things in my head, but it frustrated me that I could never draw them to match the image in my head, but theatre has allowed me to create the picture the way I want to. What started out as an opportunity for extra credit for my band class in high school has now morphed into one of my passions and what I want to do with my life. There are a wide variety of fields inside the theatre, so I had to figure out where I fit in and enjoyed myself. I took classes in a multitude of areas, from acting to painting, costuming to makeup, and directing to lighting. Through all these different experiences, I learned that I enjoyed lighting the most.
I believe that being diversified and knowledgeable in a broad spectrum of areas allows you to become better at your specific area of interest. I feel that the more you know, the more it will allow you to pull from while working on a piece. Knowing the history and the culture of the piece, the time period and what is going on in the world, all can influence you and has an impact on theatre. Moving the scope down from a broad, worldly one to the level of the theatre to the work of costumes, lighting, scenery, and the actors means that all these elements must work together to establish a piece--if one of them is out of sync with the rest then the work falters and destroys itself,but if they all work together, they can truly create something breathtaking and wonderful.
My design approach for lighting first begins with the script: reading it, understanding it, trying to figure out what the playwright wanted it to convey. After I gather my information from the script, I take what I have learned from the script and fuse it with the director’s vision for the piece when working on the design. Working with the rest of the design team is a must, for it can inspire new ideas and allows me to be confident that what I designing does not destroy what everyone else is doing, but enhances it further.
It is my job to set the mood for the audience. The scenery and lighting are generally the first things the audience will see when they enter the space, so it is imperative that the first look be one that can give the audience a taste of what is to come. That first look sets the stage for everything that is to follow, so it has to bring together all the different aspects of the show.
Lighting design has this intangible aspect that allows it affect people in a wide array of ways. It has the power to elevate the action into something bigger, and bring the audience into it and feel excited. Conversely it can paint the action in a way that makes it tragic, and makes the audience cry. Lighting has the power to completely mess around with people’s emotions and senses. It also can make people feel introspective and make them think about things in a new way. The opportunity to enhance the show and play around with people’s emotions is an honor that I never forget about, and am grateful to be allowed to do.
Something exciting for me as a designer is the realization that my design can only truly be appreciated and understood in real time, something that I believe is unique to the lighting. Video and still photography do not allow the viewer to fully experience it, the full experience can only be achieved by seeing the piece and design unfold in front of you. This unique facet of lighting both excites me, and makes me apprehensive at the same time.
I always try to have fun, learn and do new things, create beautiful art, meet new friends, and make amazing memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. These are all things that I get the chance to experience because of theatre. I have a strong drive to constantly learn new ideas and concepts, and attempt things in new ways.
I believe that being diversified and knowledgeable in a broad spectrum of areas allows you to become better at your specific area of interest. I feel that the more you know, the more it will allow you to pull from while working on a piece. Knowing the history and the culture of the piece, the time period and what is going on in the world, all can influence you and has an impact on theatre. Moving the scope down from a broad, worldly one to the level of the theatre to the work of costumes, lighting, scenery, and the actors means that all these elements must work together to establish a piece--if one of them is out of sync with the rest then the work falters and destroys itself,but if they all work together, they can truly create something breathtaking and wonderful.
My design approach for lighting first begins with the script: reading it, understanding it, trying to figure out what the playwright wanted it to convey. After I gather my information from the script, I take what I have learned from the script and fuse it with the director’s vision for the piece when working on the design. Working with the rest of the design team is a must, for it can inspire new ideas and allows me to be confident that what I designing does not destroy what everyone else is doing, but enhances it further.
It is my job to set the mood for the audience. The scenery and lighting are generally the first things the audience will see when they enter the space, so it is imperative that the first look be one that can give the audience a taste of what is to come. That first look sets the stage for everything that is to follow, so it has to bring together all the different aspects of the show.
Lighting design has this intangible aspect that allows it affect people in a wide array of ways. It has the power to elevate the action into something bigger, and bring the audience into it and feel excited. Conversely it can paint the action in a way that makes it tragic, and makes the audience cry. Lighting has the power to completely mess around with people’s emotions and senses. It also can make people feel introspective and make them think about things in a new way. The opportunity to enhance the show and play around with people’s emotions is an honor that I never forget about, and am grateful to be allowed to do.
Something exciting for me as a designer is the realization that my design can only truly be appreciated and understood in real time, something that I believe is unique to the lighting. Video and still photography do not allow the viewer to fully experience it, the full experience can only be achieved by seeing the piece and design unfold in front of you. This unique facet of lighting both excites me, and makes me apprehensive at the same time.
I always try to have fun, learn and do new things, create beautiful art, meet new friends, and make amazing memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. These are all things that I get the chance to experience because of theatre. I have a strong drive to constantly learn new ideas and concepts, and attempt things in new ways.