nancy e. leung
Nancy has been designing in the creative industry for 20+ years. She began her studies for medical microbiology, as a pre-med student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison but admitted to also taking many art history, film and design classes. Art should have been evident in her as a child, when her parents caught her drawing on their walls and furniture.
After years of working in the advertising and print industry, Nancy returned to school for graduate studies at Pratt Institute, to pursue her dreams as an art photographer. However, after a semester, she discovered industrial design and easily transferred into her new pursuit. |
The next two and a half years proved to be enlightening, focusing on furniture design, which represents ‘functional sculpture’ to her. Summer studies of furniture and design at the Danmarks Designskole in Copenhagen, Denmark, proved to be successful, as she won the Best in Show for her chair design at the end of the summer. A semester later, her coffee table design was chosen to be part of the student exhibition at the International Center of Contemporary Furniture (ICFF) fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
For her thesis, a study of bamboo and brocade led Nancy to Poitiers, France, to study construction with Colombian architect Símon Vélez. A small pavilion of bamboo imported from Colombia, was built in the two-week seminar and still stands at the Domaine de Boisbuchet. This seminar was part of an ongoing cooperative with the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Vitra Museum, led by internationally recognized designers and architects.
After years in the furniture industry, she found it easy to transition from furniture to jewelry, as they are both sculptural but, with jewelry, it's an easier prospect, as you can carry it around in your bag!
Based in Park Slope, Brooklyn, her jewelry ranges from fully handmade leather goods to pieces made of precious metals to include semi-precious and precious stones, created via wax carving or 3D modeling. she carries a full collection and also provides custom jewelry design services.
leungdesigns focuses on the ‘simplicity of design’ so, designs are created to stand the test of time. Care in choosing the best combination of materials is important and how they balance and interact with each other is key. Ultimately, form does follow function but, as the German designer, Hartmut Esslinger put it, ‘form should follow emotion’.
To add, designs should carry a lightness, as should life...
For her thesis, a study of bamboo and brocade led Nancy to Poitiers, France, to study construction with Colombian architect Símon Vélez. A small pavilion of bamboo imported from Colombia, was built in the two-week seminar and still stands at the Domaine de Boisbuchet. This seminar was part of an ongoing cooperative with the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Vitra Museum, led by internationally recognized designers and architects.
After years in the furniture industry, she found it easy to transition from furniture to jewelry, as they are both sculptural but, with jewelry, it's an easier prospect, as you can carry it around in your bag!
Based in Park Slope, Brooklyn, her jewelry ranges from fully handmade leather goods to pieces made of precious metals to include semi-precious and precious stones, created via wax carving or 3D modeling. she carries a full collection and also provides custom jewelry design services.
leungdesigns focuses on the ‘simplicity of design’ so, designs are created to stand the test of time. Care in choosing the best combination of materials is important and how they balance and interact with each other is key. Ultimately, form does follow function but, as the German designer, Hartmut Esslinger put it, ‘form should follow emotion’.
To add, designs should carry a lightness, as should life...