OUR STORY
SONOSPHERE 1.0- First Prototype 2002
The first prototype of the Sonosphere was invented in 2002 at Western Washington University by Louisa (McCuskey) Firethorne as her senior thesis project at Fairhaven College.
In 2004, the original Sonosphere was stationed at Wise Awakening in Bellingham, Wa.- a metaphysical Sound Healing temple, founded by Diana La Due Hand. Louisa offered the Sonosphere to the public through sessions with a metaphysical flair and a focus on inducing trance states and meditation environment for personal healing. From 2007-2011 the revised Sonosphere 1.0 traveled as an installation at retreat centers, festivals and events. The original Sonosphere went through many rounds of revisions from rustic and artsy to more 'gallery' style, and evolved based on user feedback.
After trying the original Sonosphere 1.0, at Skagit Valley Community College showcase gallery in 2002, our local and world renowned author, Tom Robbins, had this to say about his Sonosphere experience:
"Louisa, you are the flesh-bound instrument of cosmic love jammer; a basket weaver whose strands are the energy skeins of the universe itself, a scientist who knows that the Universe is made of magic. Bravo!"
- Tom Robbins
SONOSPHERE 2.0- Installed in England 2009
The second major rebuild and revision to the Sonosphere was commissioned by a private client in England in 2009. The commission was to take the Sonosphere 1.0 to the next level and ship it to a private residence in the UK for use in Sound Healing. This 'angel investor' allowed Louisa to hire fabricators and re-envision how the Sonosphere should look and feel. Louisa hired Rusty Oliver of Hazard Factory in Seattle, Wa to help with constructing the Sonosphere 2.0.
The biggest changes were the internally controlled motor, larger copper sphere, circular platform, the LED additions to the sphere, upgraded sound equipment, custom lighting harnesses, and a huge crystal ball at the top! Everything was larger in this version and all of the pieces were more professionally created. Later on, our investor commissioned carved quartz crystal plates to add to the 'spines' of the chairs, and the chair backs were redesigned to accommodate those crystal plates.