Photo by Bill Kalina, Boca Raton News ©1986

"The whole idea behind everything here is to take light and make it into a shape; a shape that not only solidifies the light but the life the light touches." Mel Tanner (excerpted from interview in The Miami News)

"There's a space somewhere in time in the deep caverns of your mind where you know how to fly." Dorothy Tanner (excerpted from Cosmic Rap)

In 1969 an extraordinary form of expression was born through Mel and Dorothy Tanner. It wedded painting and installation, adding the elements of live multi-media projection, video art, lasers, and music. The experience of "Lumonics," composed of light sculptures that illuminate the space, relaxes and energizes, stimulates creativity, delights the eye and fires the imagination with its sensory environment of light, sound, color, aroma and imagery.

Since the passing of Mel Tanner in 1993, Dorothy has collaborated with long-time associate Marc Billard to further the Lumonics experience.

Mel Tanner was born in Brooklyn and attended Pratt Institute. He studied painting at the Brooklyn Museum with John Ferren and Max Beckman. His work has been exhibited in galleries and museums, and is included in important corporate and private collections throughout the country.

Dorothy Tanner was born in The Bronx, New York. She studied with Chaim Gross, and Milton Hebald at the Brooklyn Museum. Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums, and is included in important corporate and private collections throughout the country.

The Tanners met at the Brooklyn Museum Art School. They married and moved to Syracuse, NY where they founded Syracuse Art Workshop. They showed work at various galleries in Manhattan and at the Everson Museum in Syracuse. The Tanners were visiting instructors of art with the Special Education Department at Syracuse University. In 1963 they moved to New York City and opened Granite Gallery on East 57th St. While successfully operating Granite Gallery they continued to develop their personal artistic expression. During the process they were attracted to the lucite/acrylic medium. In 1965 they traveled extensively in Europe. Upon returning to the United States they established a studio in Miami. Through creative experimentation, the use of light became a basic element in the construction of the Lumonics artform.

Mel Tanner’s background as a painter is strongly evidenced in his controlled use of color. His variations and inventions are a source of excitement, interest and delight.

Dorothy Tanner works with shaped acrylic enhanced by external light. Her flowing, rhythmic, and sometimes angular constructions fuel the imagination and leave one with a sense of well being.
www.lumonics.net