Interview: Eny Lee Parker On Staying Curious & The Transformative Power Of Lighting

São Paulo-born Eny Lee Parker is an artist-designer based in New York who creates witty and wildly covetable objects, including furniture and lighting, utilising clay as her main medium. Parker reclaims the essence of making embraced by traditional crafts from our past, celebrating the slowness, the intention, and the respect for natural resources characteristic of historical creative practices. From her impressive Twist Column lights, launched at last year’s Design Miami, and her beautifully carved Rope Stool, to the Domino Rug, inspired by 19th century French textiles and created in collaboration with Spencer Malinski, Parker forges contemporary objects that playfully bring awareness to our presence as well as to non-living things. Most recently, during her residency at Grand Cayman-based Palm Heights, she created a series of light sculptures working with plaster cloth and locally sourced materials to form various freestanding illuminatory structures. To learn more about the talented artist, her compelling practice, and what she has planned next, Something Curated spoke with Parker.

Something Curated: Can you give us some insight into your background and how you entered the field of design; what was the first object you can remember making?  

Eny Lee Parker: I’ve been into art and design since I was a kid and my mom always encouraged me. During high school, I was working on illustrations for my portfolio but ended up painting a lot of interior spaces, which led me to study Interior Design in college. I then completed my masters in Furniture Design after working in the industry a bit. I remember the first piece of furniture I designed and made was a compound curve wooden chair. I still have it in my apartment, and it’s one of my favourite pieces. 

SC: What draws you to the materials you utilise in your practice, in particular clay? 

ENL: During college, I didn’t have a preference in materials. It wasn’t until I did an artist residency and chose clay as my main medium that it sort of clicked. I enjoyed working with my hands, and clay came naturally, I didn’t have to rely on any machinery like a planer or bandsaw and big clamps for glue-ups. Now, I enjoy working with talented vendors who know what they are doing and I can learn from them. So I partner with people who do glass blowing, weaving, woodworking, light shades, upholstery etc. Furniture is pretty open ended and I get bored easily so it helps me stay curious. 

SC: From seats and lamps to rugs, your pieces often feel like they have a sense of humour, a wittiness about them — is this important to you? 

ENL: I never thought I had a specific aesthetic, vibe or design language. People do mention they think my work is playful. I think that’s great! It’s not really on purpose, nor do I care to make sure it looks like “me.” I’m constantly changing as a person. But I think our work environment is pretty relaxed; I don’t like to be stressed over work because nobody is getting hurt or dying. I just want to make sure my team is safe, well fed, growing and happy. So perhaps that can translate into our work.

SC: How would you describe your approach to design? 

ENL: I tend to enjoy messing with proportions. Making things that would make a person say, “Oh, I didn’t expect this piece to be this big, or light, or heavy, etc.” I also enjoy simpler forms in larger scale. Again, I’m not curing cancer, I don’t think design, especially luxury, needs to be that serious. I think my approach to who we work with, how we accomplish a design is more important. 

SC: What excites you about creating lamps specifically?

ENL: I say this all the time, but I think lighting is the jewellery of the furniture realm. Lighting is also so important in a space. It creates a mood; it affects your energy whether you notice it or not.

SC: You recently participated in the artist residency programme at Palm Heights in Grand Cayman — how was that experience? 

ENL: It was so incredibly nice to be in a fun and welcoming environment where other people are sharing their creative journey with you. I think that is one of my favourite things about being an artist. Meeting other people with their own perspectives, and observing how they put those perspectives into their medium whether that is writing, music, movement, food, experiences or visuals. It was a much-needed re-set for me. 

SC: What can we look forward to from you next? 

ENL: I have a couple of collaborations in the works, this year and coming up in 2023, a solo show in New York with Love House, possibly something fun in Milan during Design Week, and I’m curating my first show this summer as well! 



Feature image: Eny Lee Parker at home / Photo: Sean Davidson