Lighting Designer Ruth McDermott

October 2008: With over 20 years professional experience as an Industrial Designer, 10 of which focusing on light design, Lighting Designer Ruth McDermott already has a strong body of work behind her. Ruth sheds light on what it means to be a Lighting Designer in Australia as well as what we can expect to see from her in the future.

Where are you from originally, where are you based now?
I was born and raised in Sydney – but studied industrial design in New Zealand as my parents moved there after I did my HSC. I worked in Australia as an industrial designer before heading overseas – mainly to travel around Italy. I decided to stay in Europe and worked in the UK for over 2 years as an industrial designer.

I came back to Sydney, Australia and kept working as an industrial designer also getting involved with teaching design at university level. I became interested in lighting and have concentrated in that area for the past 10 years.

ceiling array at Sevvva Restaurant, Hong Kong

What have you been up to lately?
The last big commercial project I did was a large scale ceiling ( 154 backlit screens) in Hong Kong. I am also preparing to make a large scale “Sharks Net” ( woven optic fibre net) for a client in Cairns.

However, I am now focusing on doing a post-graduate research degree investigating LED lighting. I am talking to scientists, manufacturers, interior designers as well as doing more general research in order to understand the intrinsic nature of this relatively new light source. I hope to generate a series of lighting works (installations, fittings etc) based on this work.

Sharks Net, Safety Catch exhibition at UTS Gallery in 2006

How would you describe your own work?
I create lighting works that use materials and technologies to express some of the intrinsic beauty of light itself. Forms, colours and textures of nature – particularly from the Australian landscape, influence me. I am interested in the experience as well as the object.

I am very interested in a diversity of technologies and light sources – I try and really understand them and express their unique characteristics. Lately, I have become more interested in LED technology. I have created a couple of experimental works with Bettina Easton but am now actually doing a postgraduate research degree in the area. I believe that we do need to consider our energy uses and LED technology has a lot to offer us in terms of energy efficiency and longevity however, it needs to be better understood as a light source.

Mathildenhoehe, Darmstadt, Germany.

How did you become a Lighting Designer?
Many years ago I entered a design competition with another designer ( Rina Bernabei). We actually won the competition with a lighting work. After some time working together, I then decided to work solo and develop my skills in this area of lighting.
I started designing individual light fittings but now mainly create lighting installations.

You manufacture lighting products as well as design installations yourself. How do you manage the creative and business side of what you do?
The main issue in the Australian context (and probably other contexts as well) is getting the right type of work continually. Lately, I am tending towards the lighting installations as it easier to deal with one client and you can concentrate on one large job at a time instead of having your time fragmented. However, the disadvantage with that is that all your eggs are in one basket, so to speak.

Glolink prototype, 2006 Bombay Sapphire Design Discovery Award Finalist. Ruth McDermott & Bettina Easton.

What is the creative process involved in creating a new light installation?
I will see something – a bit of texture, the effect of light on something, a piece of artwork or textile or a new technology that will get my imagination going. A couple of times I have been involved in shows where a theme is set which I need to interpret.

I will do some simple sketches in my visual diary but quickly start some small-scale experiments – sometimes it is hands on building mock-ups etc or more latterly, using 3 D modeling programs. If it is an installation I also need to understand the space it will occupy which needs some liaison with interior designers or curators.

What has been your most challenging/interesting piece of work to date?
The Hong Kong job was very challenging with its cheers size. It took three days just to cut the screens out! There are always so many complex technical details to sort out with any of my large lighting works – but you have to make it look simple,without fuss and well detailed. This can be quite a challenge.

Medusa, Ruth McDermott and Bettina Easton

Bling lights at the Establishment, Sydney.

You have works all over the world. How responsive is the Australian market vs the overseas market?
I have only just started working with overseas clients. There are always issues regarding communication. I think there is an interest in my particular approach that seems different to other designers. However, it is early days yet.

Do you have a favourite artist, or artists?
At the moment I am reading about Dan Flavin ( American minimalist artist who created installations with fluorescent lamps). I have always liked his work but now have a better understanding about some of the issues he explored such as light source and it’s relationship with space, the way it can influence the viewer and the wider issue of our relationship with the technology.

I am very interested in contemporary art generally but I still look to painters such as Monet, Turner and Caravaggio whose work explored light (and in the case of Caravaggio, shadow) so in such an inspirational way.

I like the work of sculptors such as Barbara Hepworth and Constantin Brancusi. Also Bronwyn Oliver’s stunning use of form and pattern in her works.

My two favourite Australian patinters are Fred Williams and Rosalie Gascoigne. Both these artists have made me look at the Australian landscape in a new way. Dorothy Napangardi’s complex compositions in black and white never fail to amaze me.

Where do you find inspiration?
Primarily in nature – the landscape, the light and forms. It is full of ideas, patterns and imagery that fire my imagination. I have been fortunate to travel to some remote areas of Australia, which is something I have used in my work extensively.
New materials and technology also intrigue me – I try to keep involved with anything new happening that is why I am getting involved in LEDs.
I am inspired by the work of the artists (including those above) – I visit galleries and exhibitions across as wide an area as possible.
I am also reading academic/ theoretical writings on light. I am finding writers such as Tanizaki, Juhani Pallasmaa and Alex Potts who all discuss the relationship between light and shadow in a very poetic manner.

I think it is important for designers to be constantly aware of what they are seeing – because inspiration is all around us. They should also keep reading, looking at all types of work both in and outside their own discipline and keep talking with other artists/ designers as it all feeds into the creative process.

Links:
www.ruthmcdermott.com
Blog: www.ruthmcdermott.blogspot.com