Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Occupation: Designer.
Instagram: @niamhbarry1
Hometown: Dublin.
Studio location: Set amongst the fields near the coast north Dublin city, Ireland.
Describe what you make: Sculptural lighting and furniture, entirely handcrafted in my studio by myself and my team of highly skilled craftsmen.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: Every piece has its place in my ongoing development as a designer, but probably the commission for The Central Bank of Ireland.
Describe the problem your work solves: Bringing a palpable sense of dynamism, character, beauty, and uniqueness to a space, which enriches the lives of the people who get to live with my works, as they are truly unique pieces that speak to the hand of the artist.
Describe the project you’re working on now: Multiple at the moment, one of which is a brand new piece that will debut at Design Miami in December and three separate monumental works for private collections. One is for a house carved out of solid stone, a remarkable piece of architecture. The piece needed to be both strong to stand up to the architecture and I also wanted it to be organic to cleverly juxtapose against the rigid and austere solid stone house. My piece is dynamic and reminiscent of the muscular form of the human body with a palpable sense of gravitas to form but yet lightness in the context of the environment.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: “In the Eyes Of,” my new piece for Design Miami (Dec. 6–10). It’s a highly sculptural unique piece that breaks new ground.
What you absolutely must have in your studio: Noise-canceling headphones to drown out the sound of constant hammering of bronze. San Pellegrino. Feu du Bois Diptyque candles. My library of art reference books.
What you do when you’re not working: Work! I never stop. My mind works best when conceptualizing new pieces when I am most relaxed, whilst walking or even sleeping.
Sources of creative envy (dead or alive): That’s a difficult one. Richard Serra, Les Lalanne, ancient craftspeople who would’ve made the solid gold bronze age artifact called The Broighter Hoard.
The distraction you want to eliminate: Managing the business side. I’d love to be able to focus entirely on creativity.
Concrete or marble? Concrete.
High-rise or townhouse? Townhouse.
Remember or forget? Remember.
Aliens or ghosts? Well, ghosts don’t exist and aliens must, so aliens.
Dark or light? Light, obviously!
