He attended St. Bernard’s School in New York City, then studied painting and drawing at Deerfield Academy, computer science at Princeton University, interaction design at Fabrica, and shamanism with The Power Path.
His work with data visualization (2002–2015) helped to establish that burgeoning field by rejoicing in the beauty of the newly social Internet — through pioneering digital works like We Feel Fine, Wordcount, 10x10, Yahoo Time Capsule, I Want You To Want Me, and Network Effect. His data works have been widely exhibited around the world, including at TED, Ars Electronica, Le Centre Pompidou, The World Economic Forum, The Museum of Fine Art, Houston, The V&A in London, and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, where two are in the permanent collection.
His work with interactive storytelling (2007–2018) combined the digital and physical worlds by adopting algorithmic approaches to data collection in real-life situations. These ritualistic experiments included The Whale Hunt, I Love Your Work, Balloons of Bhutan, and Today, a daily photo practice he continued for 440 days. Today evolved into Cowbird, a storytelling platform open to all that ended up amassing 100,000 stories from 25,000 authors in 200 countries — until growing patterns of Internet addiction prompted its closure in 2017. He explored these dynamics in the essays World Building in a Crazy World, Modern Medicine, Data Will Help Us, and Navigating Stuckness. His storytelling projects have been featured at numerous film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, and IDFA, where he was the 2017 Guest of Honor.
His work with ritual technology (2015–2022) took place at High Acres Farm, his ancestral home and land in the small town of Shelburne, Vermont. He spent seven years working to transform old family patterns there, practicing what he came to call Life Art through a series of 21 rituals and matching films — ultimately released in 2022 as the alchemical opus In Fragments. The spiritual origins of this work are outlined in the essays Powers of Ten and Working with Life. His ritual work at High Acres Farm seeded the evolving Linestone and Electric Web projects.
His current practice of wisdom work (2024–) happens through Sunlight — a growing collection of illustrated wisdom teachings for all ages.
He lives between Santa Fe, New Mexico and Shelburne, Vermont, where he co-stewards Notitia Sanctuary and High Acres Farm.
To follow along, please join his Newsletter.
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- Cowbird
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- Cowbird
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- A Witness To Life Film
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- Apprenticeship Film
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- Circles Of Care
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- Electric Webb Film
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- Equidistant Film
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- Give Up The Ghost Film
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- Hall Of Mirrors Film
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- Hexagram Film
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- In Fragments Trailer
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- Individuation Film
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- In Fragments
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- In Fragments Film
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- In Fragments Films
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- Linestone Film
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- Make Me A Vessel Film
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- Not A Single Point Film
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- Paper Weight Film
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- Phase Change Film
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- Process Of Elimination Film
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- Scarecrow Film
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- See Glass Film
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- Space Suit Film
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- The Golden Line
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- The Joyous Lake Film
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- Today Film
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- Urim And Thummim Film
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- Use A Hammer Film
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- A Witness To Life Film
- ·
- Apprenticeship Film
- ·
- Coolhunting Talk
- ·
- Electric Webb Film
- ·
- Equidistant Film
- ·
- Give Up The Ghost Film
- ·
- Hall Of Mirrors Film
- ·
- Hexagram Film
- ·
- I Want You To Want Me Trailer
- ·
- In Fragments Trailer
- ·
- Individuation Film
- ·
- In Fragments
- ·
- In Fragments Film
- ·
- In Fragments Films
- ·
- Linestone Film
- ·
- Make Me A Vessel Film
- ·
- Not A Single Point Film
- ·
- Paper Weight Film
- ·
- Phase Change Film
- ·
- Process Of Elimination Film
- ·
- Scarecrow Film
- ·
- See Glass Film
- ·
- Space Suit Film
- ·
- The Joyous Lake Film
- ·
- The Present
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- Today Film
- ·
- Urim And Thummim Film
- ·
- Use A Hammer Film

