Chris Robleski Katie Robleski

In the darkness, the undercurrent of suspense is always the same. My partner and I never know what to expect when I set down the tripod and she climbs into unfamiliar territory. We have to put fear aside though. It’s time to light-paint a beautiful composition and surreal story from this black canvas. Our inspiration derives from an urge to challenge our artistry and the audience. We encourage viewers to conceptualize the physics and the history at play. If the subject is an external structure, I open the shutter so the full moon can expose the landscape for two to ten minutes. Star trails that collectively curve through the sky remind us that we are hardly anchored to one spot. As my partner bounces colored flashlights at the walls, she gives the space a renewed neon life. The creativity happens within the adventure, not inside an isolated darkroom amongst toxic chemicals. Our techniques are merely tools to tell a bigger story. By the light of day, these lost places might conjure dismal emotions. Perhaps they don’t even seem worthy of thought. By the dark of night, however, a colorful glow triggers a memory; it returns a warmth that once was. As artists, our passion for exploration and uncovering lost relics, plus adventure and fear, culminate to not simply produce an image, but the challenge to share a story with our audience.

You can learn more at www.theflashnites.com. For a video of how we create our work, please visit this link on our Dropbox (there is no sound, but there are subtitles): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/jay0ysnacjuagg0du7t6a/Dakotas2024v2.mp4?rlkey=fpesto8ngn2097fbhp7fellfw&dl=0