Artist Interview: Lucy Boyd-Wilson

Lucy Boyd-Wilson, an experiential artist and programmer based in San Diego, California, combines her background in Computer Science and Fine Arts to create immersive and interactive experiences. Her art evokes the rhythms and flows found in nature, inspiring a sense of awe and connection to the land. With a focus on the subtle and ephemeral, she crafts experiences that encourage slow, contemplative engagement, much like the steady rhythm of a deep breath, capturing the poetry of organic systems in motion.

Growing up in England and Canada before studying at McGill and Concordia in Montreal, Lucy initially pursued a career as an animation software developer. Today, she channels her technical expertise into creating art that envelops the viewer, using cutting-edge mediums like virtual reality, dome displays, and Kinect tracking devices. Her works have been showcased internationally, including in dome and 360 VR film festivals, galleries, and virtual events. In 2022, Lucy was recognized for the 1st prize at the Artist Alliance Biennial exhibition at the Oceanside Museum of Art in San Diego.

We asked Lucy about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Wind Fall*

Can you tell us about your background as a digital artist? How did you get started in this field?

At the end of high school, it was difficult for me to decide whether to study Fine Arts or Mathematics in college. In the end I chose Math & Computer Science, but decided early on that I needed to specialize in computer graphics to stay close to visual art.

I had a career of many years developing animation software for film in Montreal. Then I moved to San Diego and worked as a video-game programmer. So, I have spent my entire adult life developing graphics and animation code and engines and technology. This is my medium.

I am now a solo artist/programmer. My mediums include animation and various interactive and immersive technologies such as virtual reality, immersive film for dome display and sometimes interactive works using Kinect optical tracking.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Earth Tree Sky - Dome Film*

What inspires your art? Are there any particular themes or subjects that you enjoy exploring through your artwork?

I am most inspired by the processes of natural environments. The ebbs and flows; all that ripples and flutters and flocks. Trees, grasses, seeds, roots, rain, leaves, wind…

I create “Worlds in Motion” and place the viewer within, surrounded, enveloped. I want to evoke that feeling of being suspended in awe… in love of our lands. I try to create a rhythm of slowness, like slow breath. I am especially drawn to express the ephemeral and subtle flows of organic systems.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Lilly Pond*

What is a profound childhood memory?

I grew up running around in the fields and woods in rural England. I was always literally and physically “in touch” with the land and its creatures.

I used to play a game with my cat. I’d follow her wherever she went. She knew the game and would stop and wait for me to catch up. She’d lead me through cat-sized tunnels into the center of dense bushes, and I’d discover the game trails and secret places of smaller animals. She shared her world with me. I think this is what I am always trying to recreate in my art – the immersion of undergrowth and organic life, where everything is quivering in motion. But also, a sense of familiarity and belonging in such places.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Root Rise Bloom*

Can you tell us about an upcoming project?

I am working on a public art project which is 2 images, each 100 x 20 feet. Each image is installed overhead as a soffit ceiling printed on metal panels. They will be mounted outside the North and South entrances of a medical facility in Hillcrest, San Diego. Typically, I create animated work and immersive. So, creating images for print is not usual for me. However, the sheer size of these images and the fact that they are overhead definitely counts as immersive. I designed them to be experienced as a journey of color and texture and mood were you to walk from one end to another. The images are each looking up into flowing leaves and seeds and branches through to blue sky.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Bioluminescent Cave - VR World*

Have there been any surprising or memorable responses to your work?

Over the years I have shown virtual reality (VR) pieces at galleries and festivals. And shown these works to all ages from 4-year-olds to seniors in their 80s. While children and young adults are comfortable with VR, I love to encourage older adults to try out my pieces. Some are reluctant to try but then so grateful that I encouraged them. The most typical response to my VR works are “It is so relaxing” and “meditative”. People get very absorbed in a gentle way. It feels wonderful to create an art experience that entirely surrounds the viewer, where art is not an object but a gentle place.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Root Rise Moss*

What is an event which you consider a milestone in your experiential art career?

I created a first short dome film a couple of years ago: “Earth|Tree|Sky”, 6:20 mins, which showed internationally in dome film festivals. Creating a piece for an immersive dome experience was a natural extension of creating for VR. In fact, I developed and tested the piece in VR and then formatted it for dome display.

Although I love the intimate and very physical sensation of VR, creating an immersive film to be shared by an audience is a whole other type of expression, one that is more accessible to a wider audience since it doesn’t require the viewer to handle technology such as VR headsets and controllers. (Not everyone wants to wear a headset!)

What is a dream project you’d like to make one day?

I’d love to create an interactive experience for an immersive venue, a venue that displays on all walls and the floor, with excellent audio capabilities. This is similar to an immersive dome display, except that it is designed to be viewed by a standing and moving audience, rather than seated or lying. I prefer viewers in my worlds to be a little more mobile, to be able to wander and look around, rather than seated in a fixed location looking up.

*Digital Art by Lucy Boyd-Wilson: Shape of Wind*

What about music?

Music is not my medium but is important in my pieces since it carries the mood. I love working with musicians in creating something new together, or I find music that I can fashion an experience around.

When it comes to immersion, audio is especially important. Sound hugely contributes to the spatial environment. We can see only what is in front of us, but we can hear sound all around us, even behind us. In a virtual reality experience, spatialized sound effects is very enriching.

What is a fun fact about you?

Insects are fascinating to me! It’s like they are the sparkle of our natural world. My works often have a loose reference to insects, like fireflies which illuminate as they float through a scene. I use them as a way to fill a volume with a slow energy, a smaller magical life form.

I especially love spiders and spiderwebs!

There is always lots to say about technology, the pros and cons of different technical mediums. But most of all I express what I love about our lands, and use immersive technologies as a way to place a viewer in the center of a meditation of our natural world. I strive to create a mood that is meditative and grounding, as if time has stopped. Because feeling grounded is like belonging. I want to express the feeling that we belong here, in these organic spaces, same as all the other creatures.