Lanterns Of Light

Winter Lights Festival

Lanterns of Light: Dreams for a Brighter Tomorrow is an immersive artwork featuring a glowing installation and an AR experience that brings the Portland community together to imagine a better future for the city. From Thailand’s Yi Peng Festival to Poland’s St. John’s Night, lantern festivals around the world symbolize hope, renewal, and connection. Inspired by these global rituals, this project combines tradition with technology, seamlessly blending the physical and digital worlds. Through the AR experience, participants can share their hopes for Portland by releasing virtual lanterns into a glowing sky, each carrying a personal message. These messages are then projected onto the physical installation, turning individual dreams into a shared visual display.

[ View in XR ]

Creative Direction

2D/3D Design

AR Design

Animation

Installation

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The physical installation consists of floating lanterns above a stylized representation of the Mt. Hood region. Acting as a blank canvas, the landscape transforms with projection mapping and LED lights that respond to community submissions. As people contribute their hopes for Portland, the installation shifts and evolves, displaying new messages and becoming a dynamic reflection of the city's collective aspirations.

At its core, Lanterns of Light is about hope, community, and imagination. It gives people a space to voice their dreams for Portland and connect with others through a shared vision. By seeing their hopes projected onto a glowing landscape, participants are reminded that change begins with a vision. Through light, interaction, and storytelling, Lanterns of Light shines a path toward a brighter future, one dream at a time.

Bringing this to life was definitely a team effort. I led the creative direction in collaboration with Portland-based studios Invisible Thread and 9iFX.

Process

Sketches > Procreate

Storyboard & Interaction Design > Illustrator & Miro

Installation Layout in 3D > Blender

AR & Marketing Design > Illustrator & Photoshop

2D Animation > After Effects

3D Models/ Materials/ Animation > Blender

AR Interactivity/ Particles > Three.js

We received hundreds of beautiful submissions, ranging from deeply personal to wildly imaginative. Seeing them illuminate the mountain and spark conversations among strangers was powerful and emotional. For me, the most meaningful part was watching the community quite literally light up with hope.

This project reminded me how immersive art can create moments of connection and reflection—especially when paired with technology that enhances, rather than replaces, human expression.

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