A River of Light logo with the words the magic of lantern parade

About Us

A River of Light brings the magic of lantern parade to communities through social engagement, creative art-making, and celebratory events.

Who Are We?

Parade of lanterns led by Gowri who is carrying a lantern on a backpack

Gowri Savoor is a visual-teaching artist whose practice includes sculpture, illustration, and writing. Born in England, she moved to the US in 2007 and has been a practicing teaching artist for over 20 years, with experience in arts integration and community building. She has partnered with multiple organizations including Walk the Plank, Bread and Puppet Theater, and Manchester International Arts.

In 2010, Gowri and Angelo founded A River of Light, an organization committed to bringing art to the community through participatory art events, parades and installations. Gowri is also the co-founder of Teaching Artists Connect a non-profit organization providing creative and inspiring professional development workshops for teaching artists and educators.

Learn more about her work : 

www.gowrisavoor.com

www.tinyherotales.com

Angelo Arnold is a sculptor whose practice includes the construction of anthropomorphic furniture sculpture. His upholstered forms are dynamic in gesture and the reference to furniture vocabulary provides a platform to recall past memories. He received his MFA in Studio Arts/ Sculpture from The Ohio State University, and has been the recipient of a several art grants including a Berkshire Taconic Artist Resource Trust Grant and multiple fellowships and awards for his sculpture.

Angelo is the co-founder of A River of Light, co-facilitates the Large-Scale Lantern Labs, and is our amazing technical director.

Learn more about his work : 

www.angeloarnold.com

Angelo gives the camera a thumbs up as he holds his Curtis P-40 airplane lantern steady. The lantern is illuminated with white light, and has a yellow shark eye

Some Media and Press:

Shoutout North Carolina. https://shoutoutnorthcarolina.com/meet-gowri-savoor-visual-teaching-artist/

National Endowment for the Arts, United States of Arts: Vermont. https://www.arts.gov/stories/video/united-states-arts-vermont

Article in Seven Days: Vermont Lantern Parades Punctuate the Darkness

Stuck in Vermont by Eva Sollberger: River of Light Lantern Parade, Waterbury

Article in Cary Magazine: A Conversation with Gowri Savoor

We love lanterns!

Angelo (a white man with a shaved head wearing a blue River of Light t-shirt) stands over a table and demonstrates how to paint a sheet of vellum with watercolor paint. A group of people of all ages watch from around the table
Gowri wears a hat lantern that looks like a bunch of giant flowers.
Gowri (a brown skinned woman with brown hair tied in a low side ponytail) demonstrates using brightly colored liquid watercolors on vellum. She is smiling at someone to the left of the camera.
Gowri and Angelo stand together against a brightly lit window and smile at the camera. Both are wearing black t-shirts bearing the River of Light logo
Angelo stands below a large Milennium Falcon lantern that he is supporting on his back, and smiles at the camera
Gowri demonstrates how to paper a willow lantern structure. She is watched by a group of people in a woodshop. Materials including coffee filter paper, masking tape, glue are scattered on the table.
A series of lanterns in a lantern parade including a large illuminated cat lantern, a red globe, spheres, and pyramids
“Thank you so much for bringing your lantern-making artistry to Cary and sharing it with those of us fortunate enough to have participated in one of your classes. Your step-by-step instructions were clear and simple, and your assurance that imperfections were okay made the experience fun and relaxing. You even gave us tips about materials we might find in our own yards if we want to try making lanterns at home – a thoughtful bonus!”
Workshop participant. Cary, NC

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