Cornish alumni enhance design projects at the Seattle studio

Spanning almost a decade of class years, four interior architecture majors from Cornish College of the Arts (CCA) serendipitously found their way to LUMA and the built environment’s niche of Lighting Design. Comprising the majority of the Seattle LUMA office, Lauren Wilcox, Colin Johnstone, Isa Lichtenberg, and Christine Cornelius sat down to give us a peek into their technique, inspiration, and the particular design school skills that bolstered them as they entered the lighting industry.

“In our case, [CCA] was a custom education molded by Seattle designers for Seattle designers; it’s a unique level of design intimacy we can offer to our PNW projects. Understanding the local landscape, design vernacular, and community ecosystems is a priceless tool.”

Lauren Wilcox, Class of 2019

"If you can speak critically and confidently about design, you’re in a good spot. The interdisciplinary aspect of CCA made layering elements of music and dance into my design process second nature. Keep exploring, understand why you’re doing something, and be able to speak to it!”

Colin Johnstone, Class of 2019

“Start with creativity and technique will follow. My design growth and approach to art in general was nurtured from a base level which then lent itself to building strong technical skills. I’ve found lots of parallels when moving between subsets of the design industry.”

Isa Lichtenberg, Class of 2022

“Stop, rest, walk away, and come back with a new perspective. Knowing when to put the pencil down and reset is crucial. It’s a simple skill that thankfully transferred from education to the workforce. We value our own time and more importantly our clients’ time. Knowing when to step away is beneficial to the design process as a whole.”

Christine Cornelius, Class of 2014