Special Free Offer

We have added a special group of 16 designs as PDF sheets that you may download and use for coloring.  They are available for free on the Celtica page and are taken from the seven celtic crosses available there.  We hope you enjoy them!
[NOTE: these are on size A4 sheets.  If you have trouble getting the whole image height, try printing on legal size paper.]

What can I say?  I've got a thing for lasers & art.

So when I first heard about the Kickstarter for a company wanting to produce a home laser-cutter, I was more than a little intrigued.  A friend of mine backed the Kickstarter, and when she got one of the first units, I asked her to experiment with some materials for me.  I thought that it would be useful in my book conservation work.  After seeing her experiments, I ordered my own Glowforge.  And it was as useful as I thought it would be.

But as I played around with the laser, and figured out what sorts of materials & designs worked well with the cutting and etching characteristics, I discovered that I particularly enjoyed working with acrylic sheet.  Clear acrylic functions as a 'light pipe' — shine a light into the edge of the sheet, and it is transmitted through the sheet in such a way that if you carve into the sheet, the light comes out there.  It makes it seem like the design is somehow glowing from within — "enlightened," you might say.  Hence this website.

Of course, once you have created the design files needed to use the laser, you can then tweak the power settings for other materials.  And many designs can be personalized with a name or short phrase if you want, for a nominal additional charge.  As you look through the options here, you'll see plenty of examples, but this page shows the full range of options.  If you have an idea for some material not shown, please ask.

All works are my own creations, and protected under copyright.

And if you think I'm missing an important design?  Suggestions are always welcome.

James Downey

There are four major divisions to the site, though you will find that many designs are in more than one place:

Sacred Paths

There are many ways people seek enlightenment.  Here are creations drawing upon Celtic aesthetics, Labyrinths & Spiral geometries, and different faith traditions.

Art of the Gun

Weapons are meant to be deadly.  But that doesn't stop them from sometimes being lovely.  Here you'll find historic guns, contemporary guns, and guns from various possible futures.

Sculptural Works

Artistic visions, sometimes informed by historic locations and structures.  Sometimes, very much not.

Geek Kitsch / Miscellany

Offbeat references to Geek culture, modern absurdities, and fun historical stuff.  Sometimes with reverence.  Sometimes with attitude.  Usually with amusement and maybe a little love.