Your Interview YOLANDA GUTIERREZ GONZÁLEZ

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

My name is Yolanda Gutiérrez and my studio is named “Yolanda Gutiérrez Lighting Studio”.
I began working in the lighting world after having worked in a very different professional career.
After many years thinking changing my career, I decided to leave the law world, to change my professional path and begin to study an Interior Design Degree. It was a fantastic experience where I learnt a lot of things and discovered that lighting was very important in all projects.
After having worked as an interior designer several years, I decided to study an Architectural Lighting Design Master ́s Degree (MasterDIA). Since then, I have been working in lighting design exclusively.

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?

I work on residential and commercial lighting projects for private homes, companies and architectural and interior design studios.

I would like to be involved in a hotel lighting design project, but, until now, that hasn’t been possible.
Although I have worked on different kinds of projects, I am specialised in residential lighting design, because, from the beginning of my career as a lighting designer, I have had a lot of residential lighting projects.

What project are you most proud of and why?

I am very proud of my first lighting project which I worked alone. It was a big dentist clinic but de budget wasn’t very large. I worked very hard on the project and on the site management. The result was a success!! My clients were very happy and I was even happier than them..

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

In the city where I live in Spain, Valladolid, I am the only independent lighting designer. When I came back to Valladolid after finishing my Lighting Design Master ́s Degree and had been working for several months with “Años Luz” (Madrid), most people in Valladolid, didn ́t understand what my profession really was.

My biggest challenge has been to get persuade to architects and clients that the figure of a lighting designer and good lighting design is very important in all type of projects, little and big, residential or commercial.

How does light inspire you?

Light makes me feel something. Light can generate activity or relax or curiosity or happiness, a lot of feels. Light is a canvas with a combination of design, creativity, functionality, technology and feeling.

What is your message for other Women In Lighting?

We need to stand together, we will travel faster alone, but together we will travel much further.