Bio-Building The Future: Modern Design For A Fully Circular Structure That Integrates With Its Environment Figure 1: Original sketch; Sarah Ikerd, Studio Shangri-La Multimedia Figure 2: DALL-E rendering based on the sketch Sarah K. Ikerd, Studio Shangri-La Multimedia – Design Lab sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com; http://www.studio-shangri-la.com Introduction / Abstract This design paper presents a comprehensive framework forContinue reading “Bio-Building The Future: Modern Design For A Fully Circular Structure That Integrates With Its Environment”
Category Archives: portfolio
Featured Artworks In Chicago & Silicon Valley
This week’s featured artworks are from the Iconography collection and the Signal & Noise series, and they’ve been placed at a well known financial institution in Chicago and a consulting firm in San Jose. The biblical Mary is certainly a majorly influential historical figure and religious icon, symbolic of the best, highest best human traitsContinue reading “Featured Artworks In Chicago & Silicon Valley”
Art + Music Update: Colorful Composites & Electroacoustic Opera
So far this summer I have really enjoyed making fantastical, surreal and colorful composites of numerous original nature photos, and adding some graphic elements to go for the vibrant pop art feel. This also allows me to express sone futuristic concepts like “Kudzu On Mars” since the resilient plant grows like crazy and takes overContinue reading “Art + Music Update: Colorful Composites & Electroacoustic Opera”
WordPress Podcast Episode — Sculpting the Anthropocene: Deliberate Eco-Public Art as Living Infrastructure
Link to paper on ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/405481831_Sculpting_the_Anthropocene_Deliberate_Eco-Public_Art_as_Living_Infrastructure Pip: Studio Shangri-La — where the intersection of music, art, science, and design occasionally produces something that makes a city block do actual chemistry homework. Mara: Today we’re looking at work from sarah ikerd on a framework that asks public art to stop being decorative and start being infrastructureContinue reading “WordPress Podcast Episode — Sculpting the Anthropocene: Deliberate Eco-Public Art as Living Infrastructure”
Sculpting the Anthropocene: Deliberate Eco-Public Art as Living Infrastructure
Sculpting the Anthropocene: Deliberate Eco-Public Art as Living Infrastructure Sarah Ikerd, Studio Shangri-La Multimedia 2026, http://www.studio-shangri-la.com Illustration from 2026 Studio Shangri-La Multimedia RFQ Abstract: This paper introduces a conceptual framework for deliberate eco-public art, sculptural installations designed to move beyond passive ecological symbolism into active, self-sustaining environmental remediation. By integrating such concepts as geochemical enhancedContinue reading “Sculpting the Anthropocene: Deliberate Eco-Public Art as Living Infrastructure”
Holy City, An Urban Tribute + New Custom Art Formats
Inspired by the global views of the Artemis II mission and the recent celebration of Easter, these are composite / collage pieces that combine the urban and the spiritual. The views are of the very recognizable Times Square, a bustling, busy and noisy melting pot of people from all over the world, existing mostly peacefully.Continue reading “Holy City, An Urban Tribute + New Custom Art Formats”
Recent Project Design Proposals: From Natural Colors For Food & Beverage to Art Installation
[Bio-Pigment Suite]: High-performance, pH-stable natural colorant solutions designed for global scale implementation. [Gallery + Outdoor Art Installation]: Luxury-tier aesthetic / art installation integration with focus on sensory design. The Bio-Pigment Suite project proposal seen here is an open innovation technical / design specs summary for natural colors for food & beverage. The proposal document outlines concept-to-calibration, theContinue reading “Recent Project Design Proposals: From Natural Colors For Food & Beverage to Art Installation”
Spring Artwork: The Intelligence Of Birds featuring “Proud Mockingbird”
In temperate climates, the birds are a’flutter singing their elaborate songs. This new addition to the catalog, “Proud Mockingbird” is one such singer, puffed up towards the sun. The piece is a composite of course, to juxtapose nature and technology, or different kinds of intelligence. Of course, humans are part of nature and the ongoingContinue reading “Spring Artwork: The Intelligence Of Birds featuring “Proud Mockingbird””
SUNday Artwork Feature: Faith & More
Today is Sunday and a “Good Day” to share “Sol Brilliance,” plus “God Rays” and “FAITH.” These pieces of uplifting ideals were of course influenced by our amazing and powerful Sun, recognizing -amazingly- that there are many others in the cosmos. It’s also influenced by my belief in divine benevolence, the wisdom of God guidingContinue reading “SUNday Artwork Feature: Faith & More”
Contemporary Art Feature: Adding to the “Signal & Noise” Series
Started in 2024, the Signal & Noise began as a tribute to the important of both coherence and decoherence as a means of organization and reorganization. In that way, it’s definitely quantum inspired. The series also reframes entropy as a form of mobility and yet another type of patterning. Next, the pieces with text introduceContinue reading “Contemporary Art Feature: Adding to the “Signal & Noise” Series”
Artwork For Year Of The Fire Horse
The most recent additions to the catalog on a theme of Chinese Lunar New Year, the “Year Of The Fire Horse.” There are a lot of symbolic associations here, such as strength, boldness, freedom and passion. “Eternal Flame” is actually from 2025, yet fits this theme well, with its expression of the timeless life force.Continue reading “Artwork For Year Of The Fire Horse”
Rill Series: Surrealist Fractal Shores
In the spirit of Lunar New Year, these blends of tidal photography, express the patterns of ebb and flow, focusing on sand “rill.” These are ubiquitous dendrite or branch formations, or nature’s fractal art, reproductions of self similarity that occur on different scales, from trees to brains and many more. The series: Rill I, RillContinue reading “Rill Series: Surrealist Fractal Shores”
Art Of The Month: “The Nautilus”
This month’s selection is about love of nature, including space or the cosmos. “The Nautilus” is a portrait of a favorite shell taken a few years ago, more recently layered with a starry sky to optimistically convey humanity’s expansion beyond earth, in a way that’s respectful of all life. Stylistically, I suppose you could sayContinue reading “Art Of The Month: “The Nautilus””
February 2026 Art: Winterscapes & Abstract Realism
This month’s conceptual photography threads in a familiar geometric theme, with the winter landscape of a fresh heavy snow, with sun, shadows and icicles. The abstractions are made of realistic original photography, hence the title Abstract Realism. All of the pieces are a layering of views to create the effect of an abstract painting. “RootContinue reading “February 2026 Art: Winterscapes & Abstract Realism”
Biomimicry Chronicles: The Specimens Series & The Portuguese Man ‘O War, A Modular Bioship
The specimens series details the briliance of nature’s engineering, from the homespun – or chewed – layers of paper husk in a hornet’s nest, to the resilient storage architecture of a Sycamore of Sweetgum tree’s seed pod. The styles include a modern, colorful pop and op art approaches to the subjects with the realistic plusContinue reading “Biomimicry Chronicles: The Specimens Series & The Portuguese Man ‘O War, A Modular Bioship”
New Artwork: Celebrating The Autumn Cornucopia
New additions to the fine art photography catalog feature the vibrant colors of the autumn harvest. From classic portrait to cubist and geometric op art, the selections seen here include corn, peppers, maple and japonica, amaranth, and sunflowers. This is a perspective of the season as viewed from Massachusetts, from public gardens to farmers markets.Continue reading “New Artwork: Celebrating The Autumn Cornucopia”
Featured Products & Services: “The Promise” Prints + Art & Design Bookings
“‘The Promise’ is a beautiful, medium-sized photographic artwork, a giclée print that captures the essence of nature’s potential. Rendered in vibrant color, this piece combines digital techniques with traditional artistic elements, resulting in a contemporary artwork with a pop art feel. The artist uses canvas, paper, glass and metal elements in the finished artwork. AtContinue reading “Featured Products & Services: “The Promise” Prints + Art & Design Bookings”
Design For A Battery Farm: Biomineral Synthesis & Refinement Of Lithium, Sodium & Magnesium In A Zoned Clay Matrix
Design For A Battery Farm: Biomineral Synthesis & Refinement Of Lithium, Sodium & Magnesium In A Zoned Clay Matrix By Sarah Ikerd, Studio Shangri-La Multimedia, July 2025 Sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com http://www.studio-shangri-la.com; https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah-Ikerd Figure 1: Basic Layout of the Zoned Clay Matrix Abstract In an era of escalating demand for critical minerals, this paper proposes a significant paradigmContinue reading “Design For A Battery Farm: Biomineral Synthesis & Refinement Of Lithium, Sodium & Magnesium In A Zoned Clay Matrix”
Designing Permeable, Self Healing Pavement That Nourishes The Environment
Designing Permeable, Self Healing Pavement That Nourishes The Environment By Sarah Ikerd, Studio Shangri-La Multimedia, July 2025 Sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com http://www.studio-shangri-la.com; https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah-Ikerd Figure 1: Basic Layers & Process Abstract Drawing from both natural chemistry and bio-inspired engineering, next generation regenerative pavement reimagines infrastructure as a living ecosystem partner. Made from layered travertine, lava rock and microbial agents,Continue reading “Designing Permeable, Self Healing Pavement That Nourishes The Environment”
Design For A Carbon Capture Air Filtration Drone + Helicopter Retrofit
Design For A Carbon Capture Air Filtration Drone + Helicopter Retrofit By Sarah Ikerd, Studio Shangri-La Multimedia, July 2025 Sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com http://www.studio-shangri-la.com; https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah-Ikerd Figure 1: Original Design Drawing Aerial View; Figure 2: Components Diagram Abstract In response to the growing concerns of urban air pollution and climate change, this paper presents the conceptual design ofContinue reading “Design For A Carbon Capture Air Filtration Drone + Helicopter Retrofit”
Exploring Symbolism With The Pop Art Iconography Collection
One of the latest collections explores Symbolism & Iconography in the Pop Art style, with a touch of glitch. These are collected original photographs, many of statues, that are layered and accented with graphic design features and other botanical photographs. It’s interesting to juxtapose the ancient and the modern, and technology with nature; to ponderContinue reading “Exploring Symbolism With The Pop Art Iconography Collection”