Final Project – Wild West Creative Lighting

My aesthetic exists somewhere between creative lighting, a western / cowboy aesthetic, and a futuristic “dashboard” UI aesthetic. This is quite a random assortment of aesthetics, but when put together I think that it can make more sense. One of the primary reasons that I appreciate a western / cowboy aesthetic is likely due to my upbringing. I grew up in Washington state, which certainly is quite removed from the traditionally southwestern US “wild west”. However, I think my parents influenced my interest in the west. My mom would let me watch rodeo competitions on ESPN as a toddler. My dad, a lifelong fan of westerns like “Tombstone”, also probably influenced this aesthetic on me. As a kid, whenever we would go to Disneyland as a family, my favorite area was Frontier land. All things considered, I now have a strong interest and desire to surround myself with this western aesthetic. Here are some examples of this aesthetic that I think aligns most closely with what I like:

The Trixie Motel "Yeehaw Cowgirl Suite"
The Trixie Motel “Yeehaw Cowgirl Suite”
Decorilla "Western Gothic" Interior Design Concept
Decorilla “Western Gothic” Interior Design Concept

Another one of my aesthetics of choice is oddly shaped / exposed warm lighting aesthetic. I’ll refer to this more simply as “creative lighting”. I am not really sure where this comes from, but I know that I absolutely love creative lighting constructions, especially ones with warm light. One of my favorite examples of this is the exposed edison bulb lamp from IKEA, which I own!

TVÄRHAND Table lamp, black/bamboo
TVÄRHAND Table lamp, black/bamboo

Another example of this that I saw in person at a first Friday in the art district in Denver. Unfortunately, I cannot find the artist that made this! But, I remember that they soaked wood and then put it in a large frame jig with string to bend it into shape.

Interesting custom light fixture showcased at Denver Art Walk
Interesting custom light fixture showcased at Denver Art Walk

And last, I think that an aesthetic I really appreciate is a retro futuristic monochrome. I know that this is sourced exactly from my long playtime of one of my favorite games, Elite Dangerous. This game features a kind of mechanically rustic but equally high tech futuristic aesthetic. I have long appreciated this design and have wanted to emulate it in all of my UI / UX projects since.

Elite Dangerous cockpit POV
Elite Dangerous cockpit POV

My goal for my final project is to combine all of these aesthetics into one creative light fixture for my apartment. I think that I could use a combination of woodworking, 3D modeling / printing, and lighting design to create a compelling artifact that could be a centerpiece of my family room. Alternatively, I could make several lower fidelity lamps that could be synchronized and span across my apartment.

 

4 Comments. Leave new

  • Ayesha Rawal
    March 6, 2025 3:31 pm

    Hi Andrew,

    This is a super interesting mash-up of aesthetics, and I’m very excited and curious to see what you come up with. I would love to see some example/ideation sketches of what you’re planning for the light fixture. Good luck!!

    • Andrew Widner
      March 7, 2025 4:06 pm

      Hey Ayesha,

      Thank you! I’m glad you appreciate the mash up… I don’t really know how well they’re going to fit together but we’ll find out. Check out my most recent post, I did some sketches of what this could look like!

  • Max Van Cleave
    February 26, 2025 6:04 pm

    Hi Andrew, I find it super interesting that you have such a wide array of aesthetics that define you(or part of you). I think its also super cool that you find creative lighting super interesting and is something I have not thought much about. I also love the cowboy aesthetic and I should probably check out that game! I cant wait to see how you combine these aesthetics and I think a creative lighting lamp or lamps would be awesome! Best of luck!

    • Hey Max,

      Thanks! This is re-affirming to hear as I definitely feel a bit all over the place with these aesthetics. I’d highly recommend giving Elite Dangerous a try at some point, the space cadet atmosphere is unmatched. I’m thinking… space cowboy!

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