We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Li Chen Peng ("LCP").
For the creativity that Li Chen Peng has demonstrated in the field of traditional Taiwanese craftsmanship in recent years, it has received the attention of the media including Taiwan and oversea countries in the past 12 years. Specializing in large-scale statue structural engineering, and constantly innovating and reforming traditional modeling methods, adding scientific and technological light sources and mechanical dynamics, but still maintaining the beauty of Chinese culture, at the same time stepping into the field of image and visual teaching, and devoting much effort to educating young talents. The JFA Artwork Project Design team led by her has paid more attention to the concept of R3 (Recycle, Reborn, Reproduce) in the design of each work, to takes the green energy and environmental protection as the goal of sustainable design. She looks forward to the future art market, and wish there are more designers from Taiwan show their talents and create a better future of all.
Li Chen Peng Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Li Chen Peng.
Li Chen Peng Design - Glory Forever Installation Art
Designer Interview of Li Chen Peng:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
LCP : I am a sculptor, and my sculpting work originated from my family business that has been working in Taiwan for nearly 50 years. When modern sculptures are exhibited, it pays more and more attention to the integration and coordination of surrounding art and design. Incorporating my art work with more modern design techniques, I hope that my work can be understood by more people in the future. This is also my long-term goal.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
LCP : At Jyrfang Artwork Design, we value teamwork, innovation and environmental protection, and hope to show focus in creation, so we can create wonderful design works in the past 18 years.
DI: What is "design" for you?
LCP : Design for me is a method that I can change the way of living, because it brings convenience and different perspective to daily life.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
LCP : I prefer designing the works which could convey some ideas without any explanation.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
LCP : My favorite design does not specify which work, but I personally like the design that can convey the concept in a simple way. For example, my award-winning "Glory Forever" work this year, it was used a simple structure to convey the artistic conception of natural beauty which is my favorite design method.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
LCP : I designed the entrance artwork for a famous chain boutique motel in Taiwan, and this artwork was added with their name and LOGO at the same time, which made every entering customer feel very surprised.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
LCP : My favorite material is iron, the surface of this kind of material shows the texture I left when I work on it, and people can feel the temperature of the hand-made.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
LCP : When I receive a lot of information, inspiration keeps stimulating in my mind. At that time, I was the most creative.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
LCP : In addition to achieving visual effects, I also concentrate on trying to use the green materials to finish my works.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
LCP : I feel enjoyable that I can do what I like.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
LCP : I will be very fulfilled when my designs are realized, because I spend lots of time on my works and the idea is gradually formed from the draft .
DI: What makes a design successful?
LCP : A successful design have positive effects on life.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
LCP : Whether it has a positive impact on life or not.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
LCP : Create a better life for this world.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
LCP : Design is necessary in our life, so the future of design will be very broad and unlimited.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
LCP : It was ten years since my last exhibition, and I plan to exhibit my work again in 2020 if I could.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
LCP : Everywhere, I think. Because my design inspiration comes from every detail of my life.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
LCP : My design style comes from my creation of sculpture for many years. It is a 360-degree viewing angle. I hope that everyone around the work can see the different appearance of the work. When I try this kind of design, I like to sketch first. Through the process of painting, I can have unlimited imagination of the shape and realize the work.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
LCP : I live in Taiwan that make my works unique when I create it with some of the traditional culture of my country.
DI: How do you work with companies?
LCP : Communication and discussion is an important process when working with companies.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
LCP : Attitude is very important to a good designer, especially on getting along with partners and how he or she treats their works.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
LCP : I like thinking alone, it makes me feel anything around me, and I can focus more on design.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
LCP : Drinking glasses, pillows, chairs, tableware, lamps, all related to the comfort of life.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
LCP : Regular sleep, eating natural food, focused work, moderate exercise, and accompanying my family.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
LCP : Try anything you can and you want that your work will be seen by others.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
LCP : The positives of being a designer outweigh the positives, because I could change others life into a better life.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
LCP : Allocate work time, use 70% to understand customer needs, 20% to understand your abilities, and 10% to perform professional skills, so you can get a perfect 100 points.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
LCP : I think it is observation, and the ability to solve problems.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
LCP : I use CorelDraw, Photoshop, AutoCAD, and Microsoft systems. My inspiration comes from approaching nature and reading more.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
LCP : Effective distribution of work content.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
LCP : The time spent in the whole process depends on the scale and difficulty of the design. Sometimes it takes a whole year, sometimes it was only a few months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
LCP : Can my design have a positive impact on people's lives.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
LCP : Sculpture and Photography.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
LCP : National Palace Museum, China Airlines, Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Communications, Nantou County Government, Yunlin County Government, etc.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
LCP : I like the work of metal type the most, they are full of rigid appearance and infinite possible changes.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
LCP : I hope to integrate more Taiwanese designers and artists and pass on the beauty of culture to the world. In this year, I will have more works combining style and lighting, and hope to get more attention again.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
LCP : I have a team to help me complete the work, but usually I am the leader.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
LCP : Recently, I have a piece of light festival work on the island theme that is being designed. It will be set on the beach, which will be a big challenge for the relationship between the work and the weather. I hope that this work can enhance tourism and cultural promotion, and I hope that the work itself can be recognized by the audience.
DI: How can people contact you?
LCP : People can search for Jyrfang Artwork Design or Li Chen Peng through the Internet to find my contact information.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
LCP : Not currently, but I look forward to exchanging design ideas with people around the world in the future.