New Art + Exploration Of Concept & Material — The Philosopher’s Stone

These new selections of August 2026 are influenced by my tropical surroundings. Exhibit A is “Journey” with the central hourglass of infinity, to signify an open ended hero’s journey, one made possible through the harmony of nature and biomimicry tech. The art is combined permutations of three original photos of sunlight through palm boughs, aContinue reading “New Art + Exploration Of Concept & Material — The Philosopher’s Stone”

Bio-Building The Future: Modern Design For A Fully Circular Structure That Integrates With Its Environment

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”

In The Studio: Creating A Celestial Mixed Media Exhibit With “Accretion Disk,” “Machinatons” & More

An extension of some conceptual photography pieces lately, such as “Wild Cosmos” and “Kudzu On Mars,” these new mixed media works in progress really bring to life the celestial concept for exhibit. Accretion Disk is made from a great deal of surplus basket weave, that otherwise would have been thrown out. Its spiraling nature immediatelyContinue reading “In The Studio: Creating A Celestial Mixed Media Exhibit With “Accretion Disk,” “Machinatons” & More”

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”

New Music Publication: Electric Echoes, A Cosmic Tech Opera — Movement 3, Dialogue Of The Stars

Buy the Digital and Paperback on Amazon Or purchase here on the site & this version has the individual parts included, as well as USA shipping: PDF download Paperback For inquiries, e-mail: sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com Written and released digitally in 2024, Electric Echoes received an ASCAP Concert Writer’s award that year. However, in the flow of spontaneousContinue reading “New Music Publication: Electric Echoes, A Cosmic Tech Opera — Movement 3, Dialogue Of The Stars”

Featured Video Art: “Visions Of Biosynergy” at Consciousness, Venice

Art news update! A modified segment of “Visions Of Biosynergy” from 2024 will be part of the exhibition “Consciousness Venice” during the 61st Biennale Arte 2026. It will show from June 19 – July 03 at the Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello in the Cannaregio district. Thanks to ITSLIQUID, this animation of 20 of my artworks on aContinue reading “Featured Video Art: “Visions Of Biosynergy” at Consciousness, Venice”

Coastal Modern: Hello World! & Dania Modern Series

View more on: TurningArt, SAATCHI Art and the Art page Inspired by earth month and the theme of waging peace, the “Hello World!” mini series combines lush, verdant beautiful views of nature with the common computer Python code test phrase. The phrase, in relation to computing, originated in 1972 at Bell Laboratories — and supposedlyContinue reading “Coastal Modern: Hello World! & Dania Modern Series”

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”

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””

New Score: Electric Echoes, A Cosmic Tech Opera: Aria Of The Cosmos, Movement 2 

The next installment of the Electric Echoes score is Movement 2, The Aria. As is much of this ‘cosmic tech opera,’ some of the instruments are acoustic and the others are synths, in addition to the vocal parts of course. This is a highly adaptable piece for different ensembles. The specific qualities, especially sonority, ofContinue reading “New Score: Electric Echoes, A Cosmic Tech Opera: Aria Of The Cosmos, Movement 2 “

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”

Exploring Shape Memory With Conceptual Photography

This conceptual photography feature for January 2026 focuses on the natural phenomenon of shape memory. Shape memory occurs at the molecular and cellular level for example, to remember how to form and re-form, and how to make different patterns, responding to stimuli such as light and by extension even the “observer effect.” This is justContinue reading “Exploring Shape Memory With Conceptual Photography”

Of Birds & Planes: Surreal Color Block Nature Photography

More artwork for December 2025 to round out for the new year, includes this short series “Of Birds & Planes” of crisp winter blue. Given the geometric and surreal composition, that’s “planes” in more meanings than one, with the streak of an airplane flying in the sky, and also the planes of overlapping perspectives ofContinue reading “Of Birds & Planes: Surreal Color Block Nature Photography”

New Publication: Electric Echoes, Movement 1 “Digital Overture” Score

Paperback: Digital / PDF: Buy Paperback & Digital on Amazon The first movement of Electric Echoes: A Cosmic Tech Opera is out now on Studio Shangri-La / OCTAVES Music Publications. This was released last year as an album and even received an ASCAP concert writer’s award. It was composed for the most part by comingContinue reading “New Publication: Electric Echoes, Movement 1 “Digital Overture” Score”

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”

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”

Multimedia Update: Rococo & Deco Geometric Photography + Forthcoming Album On OCTAVES

There is a lot of new work this month in May, with more to be posted! This particular group in the slideshow represents an ornate, rococo style of tree canopy photography. The layouts are decidedly baroque. And this is all original photography using various programs for editing. One topic that appears here is the amazingContinue reading “Multimedia Update: Rococo & Deco Geometric Photography + Forthcoming Album On OCTAVES”

Featured Mixed Media Painting: Fabricate::Recreate

The featured 6′ x 3′ x 2″ mixed media is available in the Shop. For inquiries, please e-mail: sarah.ikerd@studio-shangri-la.com WHAT: This large conceptual mixed media is from 2023, and it’s two large terraced recycled canvases with upcycled textile strips. Other materials include prominent mica, acrylic paints, and water based spray paints and glosses. HOW: MakingContinue reading “Featured Mixed Media Painting: Fabricate::Recreate”

Featured Art Collection: Signal & Noise + Studio Multimedia Update

As 2025 begins, this mini collection “Signal & Noise” harkens back to 2022 and then to the end of 2024, year of the dragon, with strong medicinal associations in Chinese culture. The cubist / op art photo collages of glitching screens are put together in such a way as to make new patterns out ofContinue reading “Featured Art Collection: Signal & Noise + Studio Multimedia Update”