Interview with Ekaterina Korzh

Ekaterina Korzh ("EK") interviewed on Saturday, 18 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

EK : I graduated from the University of Iowa with an MA in Jewelry design and 3D design. But my first jewelry making classes took place five years ago in Colombia in a private school. Now I am doing jewelry and 3d visualization on a daily bases.

How did you become a designer?

EK : My first professional background was not of design. I spent around 8 years on studies and research in geography when I realized that I need to admit that I need to switch my career path and to do product and jewelry design. It didn't occur in an empty place, of course, because of all my life of learning and practicing different crafts and arts. At that moment, five years ago I started studying silversmithing in a small town of Tabio in Colombia during my research project. In two years, I was already admitted to the School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa. There I took my first classes in product and furniture design. I established my own brand "korzhstudio" during these studies. Now I don't see my life without designing a new object every day.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

EK : Informed by my background in geography, my work employs an observational and inquiring perspective on the world that I retained from this education. In my jewelry, I create micro-landscapes by combining metal work with found stones, objects, and precious materials. But my priorities are still aesthetics and comfortable wear of my products

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

EK : Complete calm. It's almost like a meditation. But it also important to stop at the right time or you will start ruining everything because you are tired or stuck. It is never a good idea to enforce yourself when you are designing something. The right design will come soon or later.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

EK : Everything in my pas shaped me as a designer: studying geography, craft classes, travels, international experience. I think the main skill that helps me to reach this point is my curiosity for life, nature, and world in general.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

EK : In korzhtudio, I am mainly producing jewelry based on my designs. In the future, I plan to widen the assortment to other products that I like to design such as furniture and lighting design. Also, I want to shift my production on outsourcing to have more free time for design ideas. I am practicing both goldsmithing and 3D technologies right now. They do not intercept yet in my work but I hope it will happen in the future. So, I would say I still love to use traditional metal work but at the same time I design a lot of interior products in Rhinoceros and Fusion. I think these platforms are the best.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

EK : Sketch, sketch and sketch even if you don't have an opportunity to develop your project you should draw it on paper. That was major advice from my first jewelry teacher Francisco Jose Pineros.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

EK : Just keep going, practicing and learning.

What is your day to day look like?

EK : I wake up and usually do yoga or run. Then I have breakfast and check my to-do list and schedule. After that, I spend most of my day in my metalwork shop developing my jewelry. In the evening I work on social marketing and photography of my final products.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

EK : I think the design trends create some atmosphere in culture and people feel that today's environment consists of some particular elements. It all affects contemporary designs and styles. Trends exist and change just because of human history evolve.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

EK : Aesthetics and usability should be balanced

How do you decide if your design is ready?

EK : When I feel that aesthetically it is balanced

What is your biggest design work?

EK : A set of furniture made of plywood and fabric. It was a set of one coat rack, a chair, two stools, and a side table.

Who is your favourite designer?

EK : Iris van Herpen, Zaha Hadid, Ilgiz Fazulyanov, René Lalique, jewelery house Hemmerle

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

EK : I love to travel and to get to know new people and places. After backpacking trips, I have the biggest inspirations for my designs.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

EK : I'm producing my products myself and just sometimes use outsource to develop some parts of my projects. I just can say that I am lucky to be surrounded by such good makers and people

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

EK : In my designs, I use recycled silver and trying to be eco-friendly with all materials and resources that use. No excessive use of materials or energy

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

EK : It gives your lots of new experiences within the design world

Ekaterina Korzh Profile