Tunable Lighting for a Colorful Artist

Artist Malou Flato allowed the Poindexter’s team to test and deploy new dynamic tunable lighting by Ketra in her studio located in Pray, Montana during the summer of 2018. Architect Erik Nelson of Bozeman’s Think Tank Design transformed the covered car port into an enclosed, clean, and comfortable art studio and entertainment room.

In choosing Ketra, the wish was to provide Malou with the ability to “tune” the light to her liking. Easy to use controls designed to work from a smart phone, tablet, and wall mounted keypads provided ease of operation. Ketra also offers the ability to recall, modify, name and save a lighting setting, much like saving a radio station.

Tunable Ketra Lighting

One of the unique settings Ketra offers mimics the changing light conditions found outdoors based upon location and time of year.  In addition, as the time of day changes, the program adapts, providing a visual reference for the time of day. One of our more recent projects involved updating a sound system in an auditorium. The auditorium didn’t have windows, and we found ourselves loosing track of time. If you’re working in an indoor space for most of the day, it can be helpful and healthy to have visual cues of the outside world. With Ketra’s tunable lighting, we have the ability to set fixtures to mimic the light levels and changing color conditions happening outside, thus providing a visual reference for the day.

Within Malou’s studio, three Ketra fixture models were utilized: twenty three S-38 light track fixtures, two P4 Direct Liner Pendants and eleven G2 Liner fixtures. The liner fixtures were mounted on top of the large beam that splits the room. The G2 fixtures were pointed upwards projecting a wash of indirect light directed at the ceiling and side walls. They provide a nice effect and each fixture can be assigned to a different preset if needed. The possibilities of color mixing and light level control and adjustment are almost endless.

Different Color Temperatures

The photographs to the left are examples of different color selections called up from Malou’s smart phone. The color temperatures in this photo sequence move from cooler color temperatures (3000 Kelvin), to warmer color temperatures (1900 Kelvin). Warmer color temperatures (such as candle light) can simulate a “sunset” or “relax” setting. The final four examples show saturated colors: red, green, blue and violet. None of these photos were doctored or photoshopped to enhance the color effect. Each fixture in these example photos was set to provide the same color as the others at approximately 85% brightness.

We find the light output from Ketra’s tunable fixtures dynamic, beautiful, transformative and easy to control. Ketra proved an excellent choice for this project, and Malou is thrilled with the results. It will be interesting to see how the different color settings affect Malou’s paintings displayed on the studio walls.  We look forward to seeing how this unique and highly dynamic lighting system will affect Malou’s work habits and her future creations.

 

Applicable Links

The artists website:  www.malouflato.com/

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