Your Interview Leni Schwendinger

Introduce yourself (name, company, position, country) and tell us how you got into lighting design (including education/qualifications).

Leni Schwendinger
Leni Schwendinger Light Projects LLC

Creative Director /Owner
United States

Lighting trajectory:
Training in film at the International London Film School
Process: Theatrical designer / rock and roll electrician / television lighting director / fashion shows / architectural lighting / public art and finally, urban lighting

Tell us about your work – is there a specific type of project you like to work on or an area you specialise in and why?

Urban lighting - lighting for public spaces. Particularly interested in neglected spaces such as underpasses/flyovers, solutions to last mile walks to transit, elevating vernacular lighting (such as fairylights – view the presentation to GLA here D.I.Y. Lighting)

What project are you most proud of and why?

Dreaming in Color, Seattle - color theory research applied to light (RGB) rather than pigment (RBA) resolving on the predominantly transparent 30x50-foot metal mesh. The concept: bringing a sense of the adjacent theatre from inside to out and the composing and programming of mechanical filter color changing into seamless “melodies for the eyes”. We have since upgraded the installation to LED.

What is the biggest challenge that you have overcome in your career?

Making my ideas understood.

How does light inspire you?

It is malleable, abstract, yet powerful, it is beloved.

What is your message for other Women In Lighting?

Let curiosity guide you. Find mentors. Strike out, be bold… after studying what truly interests you, the point of view you must follow.  Other, more practical advice will be given by others.