Performance artist Sunscribes harnesses the power of the sun to create these stunning and unique works of art.
Heliography: a bright idea that’s leaving its mark
Michael Papadakis, AKA @Sunscribes, is an International Performance Artist specialising in an unusual form of storytelling. Dubbed ‘Heliography’, he uses mirrors and lenses to focus the Sun’s powerful rays.
How it all began…
In 2012, Michael Papadakis set out on an unscripted journey across Central Asia where he unearthed a hidden talent He never knew he had, Patience. Patience, his greatest asset, had been suppressed by the business of life, and it wasn’t until he left his comfort zone that he re-established his connection between the Sun and his ability to be patient.
“So, with a magnifying glass in one hand and a piece of wood in the other, I let the Sun be my guide as I travelled for 14 months across the high plateaus of the Pamir Mountain Range, making Sunlight Art for the local people. It was along this ancient trade route formally dubbed the ‘Silk Road’ where I experienced some of the sunniest moments of my life.” And so it began…
After his return to the States in 2013, Michael moved to Colorado and began experimenting with different forms of Sunlight.
“To my amazement, I discovered that refracted sunlight (sunlight passing through a lens) and reflected sunlight (sunlight reflecting off a mirror) had very different characteristics of one another. It was as if they were polar opposites, like water vs. ice, or positive vs. negative. These two forms of sunlight contradicted each other in every way, yet when in synergy, complimented each other beautifully. All this experimentation led me to believe that even sunlight can have multiple personalities, even if it comes from the same source. Nonetheless, I took this newly discovered knowledge and began to teach it to anyone who was willing to learn. I called it, ‘Heliography.’”
Source: SunscribesSolarPrinting.com
Shedding a new light on advertising
Michael has showcased his skillset for a variety of clients & at live events throughout the US and beyond. Some of his most recent clients include GoPro, The Balvenie, R.J. Reynolds and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
To see more of Michael’s work, check out his website or Facebook page.
-Michael Papadakis Source: Facebook/Sunscribes
Now to make art: 6 steps (with pictures)
Art-making is one of the easiest and most lucrative of human activities. A finished work of art can be exchanged for many desirable things such as food, shelter, fame and money (which in turn could be used to purchase food, shelter, and fame). So, it is understandable that you might want to know how to make art. In the steps that follow, one artist shares the wealth of their knowledge.