If you love things that glow-in-the-dark (and who doesn’t?) then you’ll love these…
Cosmic Windows by Mike Blackburn, are an Artist’s ‘mind’s-eye’ vision of mysterious deep space nebulae. The very birthplace of stars and new worlds, lovingly re-imagined and re-created for a delightful luminous effect and carefully preserved within a clear resin window.
Each piece is individually hand-created and is an authentic, original work of ‘celestial art’ with no two pieces ever the same.
Its a timeless ‘cosmic moment’ captured forever, and will come alive for you every night for countless years to come.
See side TABs for more about this Artwork, the Artist and how it works!
Just as the stars are absent in the daytime, so too in daylight a Cosmic Window has the appearance of an simple cloudy, blue sky. However, it is in the dark of night when the real stars come out, that a Cosmic Window can be magically transformed into a stunning vision of luminous deep-space nebulae.
A Cosmic Window is sure to delight Stargazers, Romantics and Dreamers of all ages with its gentle, soothing glow, slowly diminishing through the night. Its just like having your own Cosmic Ceiling, only in miniature.
These wonderful, miniature-masterpieces make cherished, life-long art-keepsakes which will remind them of you each time they gaze into their Cosmic Window. They make an extra-special gesture for an extra-special Birthday, Christening or Wedding etc.
Each Cosmic Window is personally signed by the Artist and comes with its own signed Certificate of Authenticity. This is the your assurance that your Cosmic Window is an authentic, original art work, lovingly hand-created here in the UK.
Supplied with a choice of presentation stands, your Cosmic Window is chosen at random from the Artist’s own portfolio.
Please be aware: This work of art is not mass-produced, it is not made in China and is not available elsewhere.
Cosmic Windows are original Artistic representations of deep space nebulae, lovingly re-imagined and recreated to produce a delightful luminous effect permanently encapsulated within a clear resin window.
Just as the stars are absent in the daytime, so too in daylight a Cosmic Window has the appearance of an ordinary cloudy blue sky. However, it is in the dark of night when the real stars come out that a Cosmic Window can be magically transformed into a stunning vision of luminous deep-space nebulae.
A Cosmic Window can be displayed from several angles with each view-point offering a unique take on the nebulae contained. Using his own artistic techniques, the artist has created a subtle 3D / depth-effect to enhance the visual effect. (see ‘How it works’ tab)
Each Cosmic Window takes the Artist several days to create and no two are ever the same.
The Artist says he may from time-time, introduce new views and concepts into the artwork, so there may be some individual pieces which may differ from the examples shown.
Cosmic Inspiration
For many years the Hubble Telescope and more recently the James WEBB Telescope, have delivered breathtaking glimpses of the of mysterious deep-space nebulae many thousands of light years distant. Vast clouds of cosmic gases produce spectacular glowing nebulae spanning many light years across; the visible echos of supernova explosions from long, long ago.
It is within these vast stellar nurseries that countless new stars and solar systems will eventually form, and from the very atoms forged at the cores of stars, now long dead.
Billions of years ago here in our little corner of the Galaxy, the explosive demise of ancient, massive stars eventually led to the birth of our own star; the Sun, our beautiful Planet Earth and our entire Solar System.
This mean that ALL the atoms contained within a Cosmic Window, were actually created billions of years ago in the cores of stars now long dead. Incredible right?
So, as you turn out the lights and gaze into your Cosmic window, remember, you really are looking at billions of years of cosmic evolution. How cool is that?
About the Artist
Michael J Blackburn is an independent Business owner, Innovator, Artist and self-confessed Trekkie.
Way back in 2002 and inspired by the breath-taking images from the Hubble Telescope, he set about creating what what would become, the World’s FIRST Luminous Multi-Colour Cosmic Ceiling.
…and with it, a new art form was born.
However, more recently with the new James WEBB Telescope delivering spectacular images from even deeper into our universe, the ‘artist within’ has been re-inspired to create his new ‘Cosmic Windows’ as his artistic homage to this momentous human achievement.
How it works
In the daytime the Cosmic Window looks like a normal cloudy, blue sky. However…
To awaken them at night, Cosmic Windows require charging with UV light.
As well as visible light, Stars shine brightly with Invisible Ultraviolet Light (UV) and it is this invisible UV light that nourishes and gives renewed life to the ‘Stardust’ encased within the artwork itself.
When a Cosmic Window is exposed to bright daylight, it would be fully charged in a matter of seconds. If it were then taken into a dark area, you would see it glow brightly.
However, if you relied on daylight alone to charge-up your artwork, then by the time day finally turns to the dark of night (roughly 2-3 hours), the artwork would have all but depleted its ‘energy reserves’ and would only produce a dim glow at best.
This is why you should not rely solely on daylight to charge your Cosmic Window!
Turning on your bed side lamp for 20 minutes or so before going to sleep should be sufficient to chare a Cosmic Window. However, many modern LED bulbs provide little in the way of the essential UV energy the artwork needs to recharge itself.
If you find this is the case for you, use a UV Keylite, UV Torch or UV Lamp to charge the Artwork. A few seconds will probably be sufficient. There are no rules, charge for as long or as often as you like.
Note: UV Lights should not be left in the possession of young children to use unsupervised.
The result will be well worth it, you’ll see :-0)
Care Instructions
Your authentic ‘Cosmic Window’ Artwork should be treated with care and consideration to ensure a long life. Treat it as you would a delicate ornament or cherished painting. Here are the main Do’s and Don’ts…
Do:
Use a microfibre cloth for dusting and general cleaning.
Use glass cleaner or a damp soft cloth and mild detergent for stubborn spots such as fingerprints.
Do not:
Place in direct sunlight as prolonged exposure may fade or damage the artwork.
Place it close to heating systems or a source of heat.
Use abrasive cleaners or chemicals as they may scratch or dull the resin surface.
lose your Certificate of Authenticity. The artwork might be worth a lot one day!
Allow young children to use unsupervised.
Delivery
See ‘Delivery‘ tab on the menu bar for more detailed shipping and delivery information.
Whilst we can usually turn around most web orders within 1-3 working days. Please allow time for the order to be processed and produced for you. If you have genuinely urgent order, please contact us first to ensure we are able to turn around your order in time. Please appreciate that there will be other customer’s orders ahead in the queue!
Please Note: We are unable to ship web orders on Mondays.
UK Delivery options
Standard Delivery is a flat rate delivery charge using Royal Mail’s 1st Class Parcel Post.
Special-Delivery (small parcels) and UK Courier (larger/heavier parcels) will provide a swift next day delivery from the day of dispatch and NOT from the date of order.
Note: We do not to offer a specific ‘Next Day Delivery’ option as we cannot realistically guarantee such a service, especially in the current climate.
If you require a recorded / tracked delivery, please select either the Express Delivery or Courier Delivery option at checkout.
EU & International Orders
Owing to the higher cost or processing and shipping EU and International orders we have a £50Minimum Order Value (MOV) for VAT Exempt Business orders.
However, due to new EU VAT rules, private (B2C) orders have a £135 Minimum Order Value. Please Note: Whilst we will not add VAT to your order, VAT will be payable once the goods have arrived in your country.
Business Orders destined for the EU will require a Company Name, VAT Number and EORI Number for customs clearance.
We will only ship EU and International orders at the Buyers risk. Once the goods are handed over to the courier they become the buyers property and responsibility.
For reasons of security and speed, we only ship EU and International orders via Express Courier. Delivery charges are calculated at checkout.