Richard Mueller of Facecandi Lighting Productions is an example of the many individuals with a goal of inspiring others in Auburn, and his is with innovation through design.
"I am highly motivated about design," Mueller said. "I take it on, and I want people to channel their energy through me and use me as a way to get their designs out because it's not so much about me. It's about making a design within reach."
Mueller is one of the few vinyl turntable disc jockeys in Auburn, spinning under the alias of DJ Soulecta. He works with other DJs in AU Projx (Auburn Underground Projects), an organization that plans on showcasing local artists through an internet radio show.
Two years ago, Mueller joined forces with Hagan Ledkins and Scott "DJ Esko" Sheppard to develop Facecandi, the first of its kind.
"A lot of us DJ around Auburn, and before Facecandi, we noticed there was no lighting," Mueller said. "It was just a bunch of DJs dancing around and whatever bar lighting was available. Realizing there was nothing available in this town, we all just decided to come up with some stuff."
Facecandi cornered the lighting market for about two years, but now three or four other local companies have entered that market, he said.
Mueller said Facecandi is currently looking to step up its game with 3-D projection mapping, an installation at the CounterPoint Music Festival in Atlanta and other projects that other lighting services have not done.
This includes an intelligent lighting installment at the new downtown restaurant En Fuego Tapas Bar and Lounge.
Facecandi has become the resident lighting provider for TKO, operated by Andy Belsterling and Sam Higginbotham in Auburn, and also for Vulgar, operated by Chris Holmes and Max Moskol in Columbus, Ga.
TKO and Vulgar are electronic dance music companies that collaborate with DJs and jam bands to produce electronic dance music for nightclubs.
Mueller comes from a family of designers. His father, Rich Mueller, owns and operates Mueller Design Group, Inc., an architectural design company in Fairhope, Ala. with a focus on designing schools.
After living in San Diego while serving in the Navy from 2005 to 2010, Mueller returned to Auburn.
"I grew up here," Mueller said. "My whole family is from Auburn. Auburn is my team."
He is now in the industrial design program and said he is proud of what they have accomplished.
"I really just want people know what we are, because a lot of people don't know," Mueller said. "It's basically just designing things that people want, such as packaged technology. Designing some cool stuff before you even know it's cool. It's kind of a difficult thing to do to try to make things people want before you know they want it."
Along with Facecandi, he has created his own business called Mueller Design Lab. It reflects the inspiration he received from his father, who was also in the Navy and graduated from Auburn in industrial design.
"Facecandi is solely using lighting application," Mueller said. "Mueller Design can be anything; it's Mueller Design Lab because it's trying out new things like the lighting in En Fuego. I'd be willing to reach out and try something because I don't know how, and I want that knowledge."
Mueller Design Lab is currently redesigning a nightclub in Columbus, Ga. called Eighty-Five, developing an urban clothing line called STMP, creating various logos for businesses around town and designing flyers for local and statewide event promoters.
"Opportunity is all around," Mueller said. "You'll never know until you try. 'If you think you can or you think you can't, you're right,' as Henry Ford said."
Mueller also has patents on products he has created through Mueller Design Lab, which can be found on the company's WordPress blog.
Mueller has worked as a designer for the downtown clothing store Stamp since the beginning of the summer.
One project for Mueller Design Lab involves working with his boss at Stamp, Eric Stamp, to redesign the store's space and create Camp Stamp. Camp Stamp will be a multi-purpose retail and art gallery space that will change over time.
"We're going to do pop art shows and still play with the repurposed and recycled fashions, but really consider the delivery of the products; the display, the execution and the environment when you walk in the store," Mueller said. "It needs to mess with people's heads in a sense that they don't know it's recycled."
Mueller said he enjoyed his time on the West Coast while in the Navy and hopes to possibly return to earn his master's degree in San Francisco.
"I may seem a bit more motivated and crazy about design, but I've had a lot of time to marinate on this concept of what I want to do with my life," Mueller said. "I know what I want to do. I knew when I was a little kid and that's never changed."
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