Where light, technology, & art converge

Art is personal. Yet, it is universal. It is appreciated by everyone, but not everyone appreciates the same art. And that is the beauty of it. For some, art expresses the natural landscape, the shifting light, reflections glinting off a slow-moving trout stream. For others, art is not only about nature, but it also touches our humanity, much needed in this upside-down and inside-out world. Art affords us a place to land.

Montana’s deep-rooted history of art comes across in every cinematic glimpse we take in. Whether soaring across the state on the highway, winding through mountain passes, or meandering down a gravel road, dodging hailstorms or basking on the porch while the sun dips for the day. All of these experiences have been reflected by the artists who have come before and the ones who are coming down the pike. SAV Digital Environments breaks new ground with a concept showroom/gallery that speaks to the idea of an organic creative space, combining lighting with visually exciting art conceived in an atmosphere that nurtures the artistic in us all.

Expanding the definition of the workplace, SAV Digital Environments’ studio on the northeast side of Bozeman now includes artwork along with innovative sound, lighting, and visual augmentation for enhanced living. The recent addition of fine art showcases pieces from various galleries in the Gallatin Valley and Big Sky, including Visions West Contemporary and Echo Arts.

Cory Reistad, President of SAV Digital Environments, saw a need for creative spaces. The idea to bring artistic/design people together in one building meant being able to nurture a synergy of innovation that crosses disciplines and encourages people to reach beyond the everyday in whatever they are working on. Aside from the artwork, SAV also houses the firm Minarik Architecture and Open Studio Collective. The result is a tangible collective where energy, like filaments, zing through the air.

“We call the gallery aspect of the business Medium,” Reistad says. “It adds to the fusion of collaborators that can coexist inside one space.”

They also joined the Bozeman Art District, to be part of the growing contemporary art scene on the north side.

Next March he intends to open a satellite space in Big Sky that will also feature an Italian furniture design collective from Studio Como, a luxury European design showroom with a Rocky Mountain aesthetic. “That space, a larger space, is under construction now,” Reistad says. “There’s so much art out there, and our idea is to provide more representation for artists and to expose clients to the refined aspects of their homes.”

Medium turns the notion of a traditional art gallery around, by putting creative people actively working on projects in the same space as the art hanging on the walls and displayed on pedestals, along with unique rugs underfoot. The beauty of this kind of makers space is it that it speaks to people on an intuitive level, opening them up to possibilities they may not have seen before.

“Right now, we’re working with existing galleries,” Reistad says. “We’re giving them additional spaces to showcase their artists and elevating the possibilities in the home marketplace. This was a way to take our own ideas and add an additional layer to high-end homes, an opportunity for clients to perhaps see really good art in the context of their own intimate environments.”

The lighting they showcase works on a similar level as the artwork, adding signature aspects to a space that supports how humans experience indoor environments in the modern age. Ketra lighting, installed with tiny computer chips in every bulb, allows the client to customize every space, according to the time of day, or the mood of the moment.

“Gone are the days of just dimming the lights,” Marketing and Creative Director Scott Abel says. Abel picks up a hand-sized remote and touches one of the buttons. Lights change from cool to warm, colors subtly shift, and what was a workday environment morphs into a “sunset, sit on the deck, and sip a glass of wine” evening feel.

“Synchronizing our circadian rhythms to support better health, human-centric lighting can adjust our daily lives, promoting overall well-being by enhancing concentration while improving motivation and productivity. Human-centric lighting dynamically changes throughout the day to precisely mimic the temperature and intensity of natural light outside, or you can take full control and adjust the mood yourself with a full range of advanced color and dimming capabilities.” – Scott Abel Marketing & Creative Director, SAV Digital Environments

“We install advanced lighting tuned specifically to the needs of the client to enrich their living space,” Abel says. Not only do the “white” bulbs change from cool to warm, but the colors can change, too. He touches another button and the white overhead lamps switch to orange, then blue, and again to pink upon demand. “The command can also be voice-controlled. Our idea is to keep things clean and sleek with tons of technology packed behind the scenes.”

The system can be fine-tuned to spotlight details with a “vibrancy control” from artwork to a bouquet of freshly cut flowers. “We consider ourselves to be creative problem solvers,” Abel says. It can also be timed to the rising and setting sun.

And that may be thanks to the imaginative environment Reistad creates in the workspaces. Like a collective of art studios, the organic development of ideas and solutions stems from exposure to creativity weaving in and out and around the space. Ideas build off of each other. Whether it is subconscious or just “something in the air” time and again, studies have shown that creatives beget creatives.

“We’re really excited about the direction we’re taking with SAV Digital Environments,” Reistad says. “We’re enhancing living environments with art, furniture, and technology in ways people just haven’t experienced before.”