Artist Statement

I am a multi-media artist whose work has crossed the borders of fine arts, design, and research. Since 2000, my studio work has focused on how art can impact well-being, both for the artist and, more importantly, the viewer. Through the merging of light and art, exploring the relationship between art and technology and, more importantly, its impact on the viewer, my studio practice is linked to ongoing research on how integrating dynamic light in artwork can create a deeper engagement with the viewer.

This process is grounded in my love of making, which is driven by the tactile quality enjoyed through the manipulation of materials. Through years dedicated to learning technologies that allow the manipulation of light and how to merge that light with traditional art mediums: oil, watercolor, pastel, charcoal, etc., resulting in a delicate adjustment of medium and materials in response to light as it travels through or is reflected off their surfaces. This grounding in material studies, extended into electronics and circuitry, is further enriched through my research into the psychological and physiological effects that imagery, light, and color have on the viewers – provoking questions regarding how dynamic art might be used to speak to us; to mesmerize, to excite, to calm, and heal.

The imagery in my paintings focuses on the duality we experience in life. Whether between horizontal bands of disparate markings and colors or between the imagery and the projected animation on the painting’s surface, it is a dialogue between conflicting zones I am trying to create in my artwork, as we must do in our lives. Animated imagery projected onto the paintings provides a rhythm that helps unite the zones.

In addition to my studio work, I am also a Professor of Industrial Design, having taught for fifteen years at Parsons School of Design and now thirteen years at Thomas Jefferson University (formerly Philadelphia University). I am also the founder and director of the Jefferson Center of Immersive Arts for Health, an initiative to investigate the impact of dynamic and interactive art on health.

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Artist Biography

Lyn Godley is a multi-media artist. Her designs, done as a partner of Godley-Schwan (1984-1998) and individually as Lyn Godley Design Studio (1999-Present), have been exhibited internationally and are in numerous international museums and private collections, including the Museum of Modern Art NYC. Since 2000, her studio work has focused on merging light and art, exploring the relationship between art and technology and its impact on the viewer. Her studio practice is linked to her research on how integrating dynamic light in artwork can create a deeper engagement by affecting both the environment and, ultimately, the user. Her work includes painting on various scales and immersive art, merging painting and new media for public settings.

In addition to her studio practice, Godley is a full-time Professor of Industrial Design at Thomas Jefferson University, where she has developed cross-disciplinary curricula in Lighting Design with a focus on Light and New Media as Experience. She is also the Director of the Jefferson Center of Immersive Arts for Health, an initiative to investigate the impact of dynamic light and interactive art on health. She has spoken at National and International conferences on Light and Health, Arts and Health, and Lighting Design Education.

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Education

1980
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
MFA

1978
Ohio State University
BFA

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Bibliography
(Partial List)

2015
NAP Connections “Shedding Light on Healing” TV interview. BCTV, Manhattan Cable, Drexel DUTV.

Orton, Maddie “Tech-Based Art Takes Over Rowan University Art Gallery”, NJTV News, January 30, 2015

2014
Becherer, Joseph “Ford Museum presents Technically Impressive Works,” M-Live, September 24, 2014

2013
Sapunar, Dora “Kickstarting Fiber Optic Art”, Metropolis Magazine, October 2013

Brill, Louis “Thought Process: Linear Light for the Creative Arts”, Professional Lighting Design. July 2013

2011
“Ins helle Licht fliegen (Fly into the Bright Light)”, Kolnische Rundschau, October 2011

2010
“More Serious Business” Northhampton Community College, the Morning Call, September 2010

Shira, Ron “Confronting Nature Conceptually, with Innovation at the Freedman Gallery,” Reading Eagle, June 2010

2009
Baker, Maggie “Solid-State offers a New Tool for The Art of Lighting,” Architectural SSL, October2009

2004
Stahl, Julie “Dish; International Design for the Home,” Princeton Architectural Press, 2004

2002
Byers, Mel, The Design Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition, Museum of Modern Art, 2002

Miller, Craig, US Design 1975-2000, Denver Art Museum, Prestel Publishing, 2002

“Museum of Modern Art Profile on Terence Riley, Lyn Godley, & Karim Rashid”, U-Way Japan, July 2000

1997
Byers, Mel, 50 Lights, RotoVision, 1997

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Publications

In Flight, Exhibition Catalog, Sponsored by MultiArt International , Cologne, Germany 2011

2004
Playing The Field: the art + design of Godley-Schwan, Sponsored by the Design Center at Philadelphia University

2000
Defining Craft: Collecting for the New Millennium, Exhibition Catalog, American Craft Museum

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Collections

Permanent

2015
Crinkle Lamp, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

2003
Miracle Commissioned for Centennial Exhibit, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

2002
Totem Floor Lamp, Otto Cabinet, Design Deptartment, Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO

2000
Crinkle Lamp, Museum of Art & Design, New York, NY

1998
Crinkle Lamp, Architecture + Design Department, Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

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Private
(Partial List)‍

Jenette Kahn, former Pres. of DC Comics, Current President/ CEO of Double Nickel Entertainment
Pedro Almodóvar
Bruce Lewin, Owner of Bruce Lewin Fine Arts Gallery, New York, NY
Steve Shane, Art Collector

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Professional Experience

2011 - present
Associate Professor, Philadelphia University, Philadelphia, PA

2010
Guest Faculty, KISD Koln International School of Design, Cologne, Germany

2005
Judge, Collab Student Design Competition, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

1998 - present
Owner, Lyn Godley Design Studio, specializing in lighting design/art installations

1997 - 2011
Faculty, Parsons School of Design, New School University, New York, NY

1984 - 1998
Partner, Godley-Schwan, Specializing in furniture and lighting design

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Public Art Projects

2015
Light Wrap, Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, Bethlehem, PA

2014
Finalist, Percent for Art Project, Sugar House Casino, Philadelphia, PA
Pending final decision

Finalist, Philadelphia Family Court Public Art Project, Philadelphia, PA

2013
“Dew-mi O’my,” LVHN – Cedar Crest Hospital, Allentown, PA

2008
LED lighting installation Thought Process, The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA

Lectures and Talks

2015
Speaker, "Light in Art," KISDtalk, Koln International School of Design, Cologne, Germany

2014
Presenter, Global Alliance of Arts+Healthcare International Conference, Houston, TX

2009
Lecturer, "Use of LEDs in Art," ArchLED Conference, Chicago, IL

Exhibitions

Solo

2014
Behind the Veil, Gallery at International House, Philadelphia, PA

Lyn Godley: Light and Art, Freyberger Gallery, Reading, PA

2013
InFlight, Le Meridian Hotel, Philadelphia, PA

2011
In Flight, Gallery 68, Cologne, Germany

2010
Lyn Godley, Moravian Academy, Bethlehem, PA

2009
Lyn Godley, Goggleworks Center for the Arts, Reading, PA

2004
Playing the Field, Retrospective of Godley-Schwan (Lyn Godley & Lloyd Schwan), The Design Center, Philadelphia, PA

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Group

2015
Mindful, Society for Contemporary Crafts, Pittsburgh, PA
Invitational

Simulate/Permeate, Rowan Gallery, Glassboro, NJ
Invitational

2014
Artprize, "WaterWall," Gerald Ford Museum, Grand Rapids, MI

2012
Design Lab: Fusion of Science & Style, Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia PA

2010
More Serious Business, Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA

Nature with a Twist, Freedman Gallery, Reading, PA

Seeing Voices: The Visual Voice, Rutgers Gallery, Camden, NJ

2009
Generations, Sharadin Gallery, Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA

2004
Collective Perspectives: New Acquisitions, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

2003
US Design 1975-2000, American Craft Museum, New York, NY

Transformations: New International Design, Parsons Gallery, New York, NY

Simple + Direct: An Investigation in Furniture Design, Design Center, Philadelphia PA

2002
Defining Craft I: Collecting for the New Millennium, Davenport Art Museum, Davenport, IA

2000
Light X Eight, The Jewish Museum, New York, NY

Defining Design, American Craft Museum, New York, NY
(catalog)

1993
American Design Exhibit, Venice Biennale, Venice Italy

1991
Salone de Mobili, Milano, Italy

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Other

2013, 2014
POST, Philadelphia, PA

2007 and 2012
Sotheby’s 20th Century Design Auctions, NY, NY