About
Brendan Warner is a New York based Theatrical Lighting Designer who just graduated University of North Carolina School of the Arts (May 2019). Currently the Lighting Design Intern at Flatrock Playhouse, he is honing his skills as a draftsman, organizer, designer, electrician, and collaborator under the guidance of CJ Barnwell until August 2019. Away from work, Brendan has recently picked up the Ukulele to relax. He also enjoys yoga, traveling, eating pizza, going to museums, taking photos, discovering music, watching classic movies, and of course enjoying a glass of whiskey.
Artistic Statement
Theatrical lighting design immerse both performers and audience in a universe of color and shadow, by absorbing the scriptwriter’s vision and enhancing the practical and emotional components. Light can magnify the power and impact of each production. Theatrical Design brings about emotional reactions both powerful and subtle, inviting the audience to suspend disbelief and be drawn into the world of live theatre.
Growing up, I had difficulty finding a constructive medium for artistic expression. While exposure to the arts was extremely limited, I was drawn to an outlet where I could be both expressive and innovative in a collaborative way. Upon entering high school, I realized that finding an artistic medium, which incorporates both technology and entertainment, would be the key to unlocking my artistic mission. For me, lighting design became that key.
I chose lighting design over all other forms of art because I am drawn to participate in a creative process with human beings who communicate a story. By carefully observing the transformative effect certain designs have on the way an audience experiences a production, and then adding my own artistic elements. I began to develop a unique style and technique. I strive to push the limits of the normal affiliations of light and open a production to a whole new world of possibilities. Through lighting, I can amplify all aspects of a production including the audience, coming together in a shared optical experience.
My art reflects a love of composition and emotional expression. I create an experience in the theatrical world by studying what things look like in the natural world and pushing the boundaries observed. I am especially drawn to the relationship of light and the human body. It allows us to suspend, sometimes expel, movement in an artificial void. This has the potential to teach, inform, inspire, and change the world.