The Back of the Frame This Image shows the backside of the framed sculpture. The white cord is the on/off and dimmer switch, which will be connected to the electrical cord that plugs into the 110 volt wall outlet. The LED lights use so little electricity you can leave them on all the time. My first prototype has been on continuously for ten months. The LED lights are long - lasting, inexpensive and relatively easy to replace if they ever do "wear out".
The Back of the Frame with Battery This is the back of the framed piece, showing the battery and dimmer. The battery is held in place with a velcro strap making it easy to remove, but it can be recharged in place by connecting the charger cord and plugging it into a 110 wall outlet. The light can remain on while it's charging. You can skip the battery and connect the LED lights directly to the wall outlet with the battery in place .
The Battery The battery is a product of "TalentCell" (www.talentcell.com) and is designed to supply 12 volt power to medical equipment. The length of time the battery will last with the LED lights on, depends on the dimmer setting; with my tests - on a low setting the lights remained on over 100 hours. With a high setting I got about 28 hours. The LED strips in the panels I'm showing draw 17 W max. @ 12 volts. I don't know how many times the battery packs can be recharged - but it's quite a lot. The battery costs about $40.
Side View w.o. Frame The above image shows the construction of the "wall hanging" with the frame removed.
Materials and Construction I believe that one of the most important qualities of a sculpture is that it is made with materials of integrity that won't degrade over time, and are of "Museum Quality". With that in mind; my relief sculpture itself, is cast with crystal or quality casting glass. The surround, or "mat" is copper sheet finished with a patina. The LED light strip is contained within a space created by a top plate which is acrylic, onto which the sculpture and copper are attached, and a Komatex PVC sheet providing the black backing. These components are bound by 1/4 inch nylon bolts with nuts, which also serve to support the hangers and bear the weight of the piece. The metal frame bears no weight, but provides an enclosure that can be easily removed to access the LED light strip.
