Softly Lit Studios

Maggie Houtz

Sound. Light. The quiet work of a creative life.

A mix to set the mood.

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A person with short, graying hair and closed eyes wears purple headphones and a blue patterned hoodie against a black background. Colorful, abstract sound waves emanate from the headphones, creating a visual representation of music or sound. The image evokes a sense of peace, immersion, and the power of auditory experience.

I’m Maggie — an artist who works by listening: to sound, to light, to whatever form a thing wants to take.

I believe that art, nature, and the inner life are deeply connected, and that creative practice is itself a form of healing. When I’m mixing music or composing a photograph, I’m not performing — I’m listening, noticing, finding my way toward something that feels true.

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A scenic view of the bay at sunset, with a foreground of coastal vegetation. The sky is a blend of pink, purple, and blue hues, with wispy clouds. In the distance, silhouetted hills and a radio tower are visible across the water. The bay is a deep blue, reflecting the colors of the sky.
A dramatic black-and-white image of the Pacific Coast Highway in Big Sur, California, featuring a sweeping concrete bridge curving around a steep cliffside. The bridge leads to a stone tunnel with arched openings built into the rocky mountain. Below, waves crash against a rugged shoreline, and misty clouds hover over the distant coastline.
A dramatic upward view of a modern reflective building during golden hour. The metal panels curve and sweep across the frame, catching warm golden highlights. In contrast, the deep blue sky is filled with scattered white clouds, creating a dynamic interplay between architecture and nature.
A cluster of delicate orange cup fungi with translucent edges grows on a mossy, decayed log. Sunlight filters through the forest canopy, highlighting the fungi's curved forms and casting soft shadows on the textured bark. The background is blurred, drawing focus to the fungi's intricate details and vibrant hues
A close-up of tall, green bamboo stalks standing vertically, reflected in a still, glossy water surface at the bottom of the frame. The vibrant colors and symmetrical reflection create a serene, meditative atmosphere.
A modern glass-and-stone building in black and white, emphasizing the angular, zig-zagging design. Strong contrasts between light and shadow highlight the geometric structure, while reflections in the glass create abstract shapes. The absence of color enhances the interplay of depth, form, and mirrored distortions in the windows.
A low-angle shot captures a stack of two rocks in the foreground, silhouetted against a vibrant sunset over the ocean. The sky is filled with dramatic, textured clouds in shades of orange and gray, illuminated by the setting sun. The ocean horizon glows with a bright orange light, creating a striking contrast with the darker rocks and clouds. The rocks in the foreground are rough and textured, adding depth to the composition.

Over the Moon

Over the Moon is the independent record label I founded — home to downtempo, ambient, and deep electronic music.

Album art for "Veil of Echoes" by Encounters. A teal and orange illustration depicts a seated, faceless Buddha figure with a void in its chest, from which a glowing staircase descends to a misty landscape. A similar staircase leads into a temple-like structure on the right. The background features a starry sky with aurora-like swirls.
A surrealist painting depicts a four-armed alien playing a flute atop a stone structure with arched windows in a desert landscape. The sky is blue with wavy patterns. The desert floor has the words "OTHER" & "WORLDLY" etched into the sand. Small desert plants and praying mantises dot the foreground.
An artistic album cover titled "bluetech spacehop chronicles 2" features a blue heeler dog in profile, facing left. The dog is rendered in shades of blue with orange accents. Behind the dog is a surreal landscape with swirling blue waves, a yellow sun with a blue center, and an orange and blue patterned sphere. The overall style is psychedelic and dreamlike.

Explore the full catalog at Over the Moon →