People walk under a light projection during the Shanghai International Light Festival at a shopping mall complex in Shanghai on September 22, 2025. (Photo by Jade Gao/AFP Photo)

Light is the sole reason why life exists. It provides us with warmth; it allows us to see; it nourishes all the living things on this planet. Many painters, especially the masters of Old Renaissance Period, have recognized the importance of light and its intimate connection with nature and life itself. In their paintings they gave tribute to light, giving the impression that their paintings had a light source hidden within them. Al Hogue, the artist who created the paintings that you see before you, has studied their techniques for many years. As time went by, light permeated not only his paintings by also his life, becoming his sole philosophy.

A bird stands near people waiting on South Padre Island to watch the SpaceX Starship rocket launch from Starbase, Texas, on May 27, 2025. SpaceX mission control lost contact with the upper stage of Starship as it leaked fuel, spun out of control, and made an uncontrolled reentry after flying halfway around the world, likely disintegrating over the Indian Ocean, officials said. (Photo by Sergio Flores/AFP Photo)

Hindu devotees light “Diyas” (earthen lamps) on a Rangoli, a framework of decorated pattern, as part of Diwali festivities in a temple premises in Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 12, 2023. The festival takes place every year in accordance with the Hindu lunar calendar. The word “Diwali” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Deepavali”, meaning series of lighted lamps; hence, it is also known as the festival of lights. Diwali is typically celebrated by socializing and exchanging gifts with family and friends. Many light oil lamps or candles to symbolize a victory of light over darkness, and fireworks are set off as part of the celebrations. (Photo by Joy Saha/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

“These eerily stunning images taken using infrared lighting reveal the landscapes of Iceland in all their natural glory. Andy Lee, 45, uses a special technique which blocks out light from some visible wavelengths and picks up light from others invisible to the naked eye”. – Caters News. Photo: Location: Kirkjufell. These eerily stunning images taken using infrared lighting reveal the landscapes of Iceland in all their natural glory. (Photo by Andy Lee/Caters News)

A man prepares plastic strings, used to produce mats, inside a mat factory in the rebel-controlled area of Maarshureen town in Idlib province, Syria, December 22, 2015. The town is known for the significant number of mat factories which exports its production mainly to nearby Iraq through checkpoints controlled by insurgents. But in the past months the business has declined due to heavy airstrikes against insurgents, vendors said. (Photo by Khalil Ashawi/Reuters)

People who fled the violence from Islamic State-controlled northern Syrian town of al-Bab arrive in the rebel-held outskirts of the town, Syria February 3, 2017. (Photo by Khalil Ashawi/Reuters)

An Iraqi soldier drives MRAP at his base in Makhmour, after it was freed from control of Islamic State, south of Mosul, April 17, 2016. (Photo by Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters)