Page 63 - Australian Wood Review №103 2019
P. 63
DESIGN
he theme ‘tools for design’ has
Tgiven me the opportunity to
think on how I design and make.
I’ve brought it down to five areas
that influence me. These basically
look at designing with and without
restrictions, the way my work
evolves, the people I work with and
the ethos I try to maintain.
1. The blank canvas
Exhibitions: the freedoms,
challenges and rewards. Exhibition
work is great, when I was starting out
I remember being so honoured and at
the same time completely intimidated
when I was invited to be part of a
small local exhibition.
The freedom to design without a
Main: Laura McCusker with
client in mind, or a budget, brief or exhibition work affords, I have to admit
the Barcode Screen she
material even sounds like a gift. It that I actually prefer some boundaries. designed 20 years ago and
certainly gives you the opportunity to still makes to order.
Photo: Peter Howard
experiment with new ideas that may When I was doing my education
Above: The I-Beam
or may not work out, and sometimes degree I came across a study that Bench was designed for
it’s good to allow yourself the freedom was trying to understand creative the Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery’s need for
to play. thinking, and work out if it was
public seating with a brief
possible to teach creativity. to reference the industrial
history of the old Bond Store
One of my favourite pieces which I’ve
building. Winner of Clarence
been making for 20 years is the Barcode A bunch of kids were divided into City Prize for Excellence in
Screen. This was imagined while on two groups. One group was given an Furniture Design, 2013.
Photo: Peter Howard
holiday, somewhere between staring unlimited supply of Lego of all the
at the barcode on a cereal packet and colours, shapes and over-engineered
watching the light play as you drive past little components. They told these kids
timber plantations and stands of gum to build something really amazing.
trees. An invitation to exhibit meant that They had all the time they needed
I could make these ideas a reality, take to do this. No boundaries, no rules,
time to nut out the practicalities and see just go. The other group was given an
if it would literally stand up. unlimited supply of white blocks only.
Exhibitions are great for creativity, Presumably you can guess what
publicity, engagement and connection happened. The kids with limitations
to community and sometimes if you’re blew the others out of the water when
really lucky there’s even prize money. it came to designing and building
something creative.
2. Please fence me in
Boundaries. Having just waxed lyrical Boundaries for us can be budget,
about the wonderful freedoms that time, materials and function.
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