1. Where were you born and where are you from ?

Born in Melbourne, Australia, and live here today.

2. What is your first memory connected to the art world ?

Do museums count? My Mum took me to see an exhibition “Civilization: Ancient Treasures from the British Museum” at the Museum of Victoria in 1990. A very inspiring collection of works (most likely stolen by the British) from The Near East, Egypt, Ancient Greece and Rome. I found the catalogue in my library the other day and it made me think how pivotal it is for children to see art.

3. Have you always worked in the art/design field ?

Yes. Aside from being a life model to get me through my university days – oh to be paid for sitting around naked!

4. What led you to the design creation ?

I’ve always made things with my hands, with found objects, creating bricolage from any materials I find interesting; developing a design sensibility comes from a deep desire to make things better and articulate an idea in a way that can communicate the feeling.

5. How would you describe your creative process and it influences ?

Daydreaming is crucial to the creative process; curiosity and exploration and play. Influenced by literature to describe feelings, and nature for the material and structural.

6. Could you describe a typical day of your work ?

No. There is nothing typical!
There’s this joke: the statue of David by Michealanglo was completed when he was 26 years old, and someone asked why we cannot produce such stunning works today (questionable) – the punchline: Michelangelo didn’t have to respond to emails or messages all day (unquestionable). So our context affects how we all work these days.

7. Why did you choose the specific materials you work with ?

I love minerals, rocks, and geology; again, as a child, my Mum gave me a book on rocks and minerals, a little pocket guide, which I still treasure to this day.

8. What are the technical particularities of your creations ?

Would you like a book on this subject?! Lighting design requires highly technical and engineering disciplines and methods, both strict and at times full of many options. The work is dense. It is very challenging to reach simplicity.

9. What advices could you give to beginning artists who would like to create sculptural design works ?

Create for your own joy.

10. If your works had to belong to a design movement, in which one would you define it ?

Rather than belonging to a specific design movement, I strive to evoke a certain feeling in my works. The drama and elegance of Mannerism, the boldness and confidence of Art Deco, the raw power of Brutalism, and the serenity of Classical Greek geometry, amongst a host of other references… Ultimately, I hope my pieces transcend any single label and speak directly to the viewer’s emotions.

11. What designers and artists have influenced you ?

My influences span various design disciplines and eras. Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture inspires me to create harmonious connections between my designs and their surroundings. Carlo Scarpa’s meticulous attention to detail pushes me to constantly refine my works. Elsa Schiaparelli for surrealism, reminds me to explore the liminal spaces between feelings and objects. Paul Evans for the viscerality of materials.

12. What contemporary designers do you appreciate ?

I love the work of the Haas Brothers for their ability to create playful, cheeky objects both functional and emotionally resonant.

13. What contemporary artists (in any kind of art) have you been inspired by ?

Vincenzo De Cotiis, Peter Lane, Ben Medansky, Philippe Malouin, among others, for their spirited approach and singular vision to their own unique expressions.

14. If you had to summarize your creations in one word or sentence, what would it be ?

Illuminate the human spirit through inspiring objects celebrating nature.

15. Is there anything you’d like to add to the interview?

Imagination is connecting to potential futures.

Proust Questionnaire with very short answers (one or a few words) :
(The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions answered by the French writer Marcel Proust. Other historical figures who have answered confession albums are Oscar Wilde, Karl Marx, Arthur Conan Doyle, Stéphane Mallarmé, Paul Cézanne…)