Light Fantastics
created by artist Merike Lugus

Welcome to the Light Fantastics Web Page introducing my new line of floral sculptures. This website is still under construction and more images will be added as more Light Fantastics are created.

Background

First, I'd like to give a bit of background as to how these shapes came to be. I've been a visual artist most of my life, and though I have mostly been a painter, about ten years ago I turned to sculpture and discovered the amazing potential of fibreglass. Its toughness and durability are well known and exploited in many industries, but what got my interest was the nature of the fabric itself -- so white and pliable -- so perfect for exploring curved two-dimensional sculpture. For a while I worked on a series of carapaces and female torsos, testing the medium to the limit -- to the point where it appeared delicate but still held its strength. Working on these creations I sometimes catch a glimpse of myself as a child playing with scraps of cloth alongside my mother as she went about the serious business of making wedding dresses to put food on the table for her children. When, during Christmas 2005, I visited the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens in Miami, I saw an exhibit of Chihuly's glass sculpture -- the works were incorporated into a natural setting. Inspired by this, I placed a few of my own blooms in my garden last summer in time for the garden tour I participated in. The response from visitors was pure delight.

First I'll show you some pictures. And then I'll tell you about sizes, prices (still being determined), colours, translucency, uses, and contact information.

Click here to see this same page with "thumbnail images" (smaller than the small images displayed in the table below. (The list with thumbnail images takes a little less time to load than the list with small images.) From either page, note that under each individual image you can click on "M" to see a medium-sized image or on "L" to see a large image.

Small images of some Light Fantastics

Click on "M" to see a medium-sized image Click on "L" to see a large image
M    L	M    L	M    L
M    L
The Light Fantastics in the two rows above have been sold but are examples of the finished product. They have been tinted and each one has a double centre.
The remaining pictures below are of the outer blossoms before tinting or putting in centres. The pictures give an idea of how the material interacts with light and how the blossoms appear at different angles. A friend suggested the fruit bowl idea. There are more pics than necessary, but I got carried away by the light.
M    L	M    L
Two large blossoms (one up, one down) on a tall floor-standing candlestick
M    L	M    L	M    L
M    L	M    L	M    L
Example of large and medium versions side by side	On stands out in my garden
M    L	M    L	M    L
Example of medium bloom inserted in a large bloom
M    L	M    L	M    L
M    L	M    L
On large candlesticks in our music room

Sizes

At the moment I am working on two sizes of blooms. The sizes are approximate since each petal is hand-cut and stretched.

Prices

These are still being calculated. For sales enquiries please contact my exclusive sales representative, M. Joanne O'Sullivan, telephone (905) 885-1545, email mjosullivan@cogeco.ca

Colours

I have experimented with various colours and for the time being what I find most satisfying is either the plain translucent white or light tints of red, lilac, orange or blue -- often with a black centre for dramatic effect.

Translucency

One of the attractive features of this medium is its translucency. When joining pieces together I use only fibreglass and resin as glue -- this way the translucent quality remains constant whether the flower is lit by sunlight or tealights.

Uses

Light Fantastics will not break if you drop them. They are durable enought to put outdoors in the garden and will probably last many extra years if protected with a UV spray (I do this on request, using clearcoat semi-gloss). They are easy to hose off if they collect garden debris.

Fibreglass is flammable, so it's best to use LED tealights for an evening glow, as they emit no heat. (I've been using some small battery-operated LED lights in some of the flower centres in my own garden.)

Indoors they would probably outlast your house. Other than occasional dusting they are maintenance-free. For festive occasions they help create a warm ambience. They beg to be used in conjunction with light, whether inner LED lights or a light source above, under, or behind. Indeed they are light fantastic.

On a larger scale they could serve as centrepieces on banquet tables.

Currently I'm exploring the possibility of creating large chandelier-like lights.

Contact

• The floral sculptures can be seen at my house in Cobourg, an hour's drive east of Toronto
• For sales enquiries please contact my exclusive sales representative, M. Joanne O'Sullivan:
  • telephone (905) 885-1545,
  • email mjosullivan@cogeco.ca

Links to my other work

To see my other work, please visit the Merike Lugus Art Gallery on the Web. To what I have been doing all these years read my CV.