Wendy Maybury has been a professional photographer for 20 years but has only recently started light painting- this totally unique process of lighting with constant lighting and combining exposure in post production to create something completely fresh, new and artistic. She teamed up with Anthony Puetz, whose previous careers in engineering and law enforcement coupled with his love of military history, sent their artistic path in a new direction.

All of Lux Armory’s projects start with a client meeting where Anthony & Wendy discusses the project before they start and strategizes on how she will light all the little parts. They spend hours creating the image. Wendy explains, “There’s this moment where it crosses from something your eye saw to something more, for me that’s the moment it becomes art. When we get to that moment in the process it’s as if you could see it perfectly lit from every angle at the same time. It’s great to see people’s reactions- the first thing they always ask is “How did you do that?” And the next is “With a flashlight!?”

introduction to lux armory

When Anthony Puetz and Wendy Maybury met they initially bonded over their shared love of photography and would challenge each other with photo related projects all with varying degrees of difficulty.

Soon a simultaneous light bulb went off. They decided to use their shared passions and talent to create a business, Lux Armory, where they create fine art images of firearms and memorabilia on metal prints.

To understand exactly where this unique idea came from, one needs to know Anthony and Wendy and what makes them tick.

Growing up, Anthony loved all things mechanical, which led to a love of firearms. He was drawn in both by the engineering of the machines as well as the history. Anthony’s family has numerous ties to the military; with his father and two sisters having served in the United States Air Force and he himself serving in the US Navy aboard the USS Pellieu. Anthony is a retired Law Enforcement Officer.

Just like Anthony’s, Wendy’s father also served in the US Air Force. Wendy is a self-described military brat, stating that she was “made in Japan,” and lived all over the United States while growing up. Wendy originally went to school to be a teacher, however, when her passion for photography didn’t die down, she enrolled at Hallmark Institute of Photography in Massachusetts and became a professional photographer. She has worked with world-renowned photographers and artists, managed national studios and worked in advertising photography shooting for a number of well-known national brands.

Anthony and Wendy realize that the current political climate surrounding gun ownership is precarious, at best. While Anthony is a gun enthusiast, guns are not something that Wendy has had much use for in her life up to this point. They have three children (not together) between them, whose safety is of utmost importance. However, they both appreciate that many people own guns for recreation, for their beauty, and for their history. The goal of Lux Armory is to create a stunning visual that helps tell the story behind the firearm. They specialize in heirloom quality archival art. Using lighting techniques known only to those with a professional photography background, they are able to highlight intricate details of the pieces on the metal prints. They will also create multiple views of the firearm to combine into one print.

Many of Lux Armory’s clients want to preserve their firearm in an image. Customers hang them in their homes, offices and “man-caves.” Many are given as gifts to other family members, especially if a piece has been in the family for many generations. This solves the dilemma of showing favorites. If two brothers both love their grandfather’s gun, instead of gifting the gun to one of them, while the other one has nothing, they can both receive the metal print of the same gun. Others actually prefer the prints to the real thing, especially if there are small children in the home.

Lux Armory wall art is proudly made in the Midwest.

From concept to the process used to high heat print the images created onto a rigid metal display that stands 1” out from the wall. Everything is made right here in the USA. We take care to source all of our business partners locally whenever possible and a portion of our profits go to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity that we care deeply about, as so many members of our families are veterans.