LIGHTING & VISUAL DESIGN

I am a lighting designer, show-control specialist, and engineering project manager working at the intersection of art and technology.

 

My work is driven by a desire to create experiences that feel human—experiences that evoke recognition, wonder, empathy, or reflection in a world that can sometimes feel emotionally disconnected.

My career began in theatrical lighting design, where I learned to approach every project by asking, “Why this, and why now?” That audience-centered perspective continues to shape how I work today. I believe lighting, technology, and design are not simply the content of an experience; they are tools for communicating its meaning.

Following the pandemic, my career expanded into experiential technology and systems engineering. As a project engineer and show-control programmer, I helped design, program, integrate, and commission complex control systems for major international entertainment and cultural projects. I later advanced into engineering project management, leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through the delivery of large-scale installations around the world.

This path has given me an uncommon perspective as a creative and technical professional. I understand how an experience moves from artistic intent to system design, programming, integration, and final execution—and how to guide the people responsible for each stage toward a shared vision. Whether I am designing, programming, or leading a project, my goal remains the same: to understand the experience from the audience’s perspective and use collaboration, storytelling, and technology to create a meaningful response.

I earned an M.F.A. in Lighting Design and an M.S. in Arts Technology from Illinois State University in 2020. I received my B.S. in Theatre and Entertainment Technology, with a minor in Art, from Michigan Technological University in 2017.

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"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well."

                                                                                                  -Vincent Van Gogh

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Cambry F. Wade