Canvas started as four (and then, a few years later, six) separate lights, but they have since been rebuilt into a single light with one controller to run them all in sync. This allowed the effects to flow from one frame to another, which made for a neat look.
I don't know what most people do when a major piece of electronics fails, but for someone like me, a big LCD display with backlights, speakers, panel, several diffusers, etc? It was whale fall.
The shape of the lamp was absolutely inspired by UFOs. Specifically the ones commonly blamed for cow abductions. This one has a much bigger dome at the top, presumably to hold more cows.