Float Conference

In 2016 I met James and Amy Harder, two Portland locals who recently opened Maine’s first float center Float Harder—a space dedicated to the practice of immersing oneself in heavily epsom-salted, water filled sensory deprivation tanks. They were kicking off a rotating gallery program and asked me to be their inaugural exhibiting artist.

Float Con Stage Art
18' x 6'
Dye sublimation on fabric


In the following years the three of us worked on a number of small art projects, floated countless times and developed a dear friendship. Floating has become an integral part of my general wellness and creative practice—so when the industry conference Float Con was to be held in Portland in 2022, James and Amy asked me to join in as the events creative director and featured artist. The resulting visual content included a large dye-sublimated fabric print for the main stage, a limited edition collectible t-shirt and event poster. Each component was inspired by or derived directly from my Ghost Gear series—a body of work that has become emblematic of my presence in the greater Portland art community.


2022 Event Images



Copyright 2024 Carter Shappy