Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.
Age: 43
Occupation: Founder and creative director.
Instagram: @matthew.mccormick
Hometown: Toronto.
Studio location: Vancouver.
Describe what you make: We create high-end decorative lighting products and tailor-made, bespoke commissions.
The most important thing you’ve designed to date: During Covid, we took some time to focus inward—this meant putting attention back to our internal systems, brand, and our product collection. Most importantly, we wanted to ensure we could continue serving existing clients, even with the uncertainties in shipping, supply chains, and stalls on major projects. In part because of Covid and the slowdown of these projects, the bespoke arm of our business did the same. What I soon realized was how important this more experimental area of my work was to me. As my team says, it’s the bespoke work and creative play that truly fills my cup, so I was eager to reinvigorate both myself and our team with the next big project.
Soon after the global shutdown, we were elated to land an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up: building a one-of-a-kind masterpiece in an art collector’s home. This project not only afforded us the chance to innovate again, pushing the boundaries of our own capabilities, but it also sparked a renewed sense of creativity in working with glass as a material and process. The end result was Cabochon, one of the most spectacular bespoke projects we’ve launched to date. It also catapulted me back into the bespoke world, which is a full-circle moment because this type of work is where my passion for lighting began. A happy byproduct of this explorative work was that it led us to the creation of Ova, our newest glass pendant collection.
Describe the problem your work solves: Often we’ll see commercial or residential projects have very distinct specifications and needs. We’ve seen it all: requests to hang multi-story installations off a skylight (but don’t obstruct the sunlight!), or turning a church into a main residence which, as you can imagine, offers unique architectural challenges like domed ceilings at unforeseen heights. Being able to take our existing product collection and tailoring it to be site-specific, or creating something one-off for the more discerning client, is both a challenge and something we love to do.
Describe the project you are working on now: We are tremendously happy with the recent launch of our Ova collection. We’ve become known for our work to be very graphical and geometric, working with materials like precious metals and woods. Working with glass for Ova invited us to loosen the reins on what has always been a pathway to perfection. Instead, we’ve made room for happy accidents and serendipity in the process work, creating objects that are forged through the process of making them.
Ova is a culmination of more than a year and a half of sculptural concepting, material exploration, and technical prowess that ultimately led to this piece. My favorite part of launching a product or project is to watch how the world receives it. Giving birth to an idea that you’ve worked on for so long—and finally unleashing it for others to enjoy—will always bring me so much satisfaction. I especially love seeing a client’s creative interpretation of a product and how they envision it configured to their space in ways I could’ve never imagined.
We’re excited to watch Ova really come to life in people’s homes and the remarkable environments we have the privilege to be a part of. I even felt it when it was hung in our own showroom. Ova transformed the atmosphere through an air of whimsy in a way that was almost alive. While it’s beautiful in photos, seeing it in person brings a different level of magic.
A new or forthcoming project we should know about: I’m excited to explore further iterations of Ova, building out the product family into some beautiful color ways and product types, which we’re hoping to launch in the spring. We’ll also be launching a collection of limited-edition, sculptural lamps in early 2024 and select high-profile commissioned projects.
What you absolutely must have in your studio: All I need is a pen and piece of paper, along with some like-minded contributors who can help elevate the work. With the right team around to collaborate with, the outcome will always be exponentially better. I’m infinitely grateful for the people I have around me every day.
What you do when you’re not working: On the west coast of Canada, we’re surrounded by some of the most beautiful environments. You can often find me snowboarding in the winter, downhill mountain biking in the summer, and spending time with my family year-round. Not being the young man I once was, I caught the bug of working out again. Originally intended to help me keep up with my kids and ailing past injuries, it has renewed my love for fitness and my obsession with the biomechanics of how the body works. I love learning about how to move more intentionally and getting stronger every day.
Sources of creative envy: Ingo Maurer was the reason I got into lighting. His understanding of light, shadow, and perspective informed his design process while using relatively layman objects and materials to create extraordinary works of illuminated art.
The distraction you want to eliminate: People closest to me know how easily distracted I am! I have a reflex for hot, new, and next, and I’m always excited and passionate about advances in tech, science, and the like. However, the underpinning to all of this is the inherent need to always be inspired. With these new advances come new opportunities and the tools to innovate, think differently, and trailblaze in our industry. It’s fun to stay at the forefront of these advancements and important to stay open to change.
Concrete or marble? I love concrete in Brutalist forms, but I also love marble as nature’s painting.
High-rise or townhouse? High-rise with a view and its ability to transform a skyline when done right.
Remember or forget? Remember. I’m a big fan of nostalgia.
Aliens or ghosts? Fascinated by both because we can’t prove or disprove either as of yet.
Dark or light? Light, obviously!
