Q&A with Liz Farrelly

I'm Liz Farrelly, I write about design, commission and edit other peoples words, organise exhibitions and teach designers; and I'm a student too, working on a PhD about design museums.

Software / hardware

I work on a Mac, and have done since 1987! Software; Word, Powerpoint, EndNotes.

Ideal work environment

I work on a table on one side of my kitchen. I've worked in very busy offices, noisy libraries, dusty archives, other people's studios, and in my own shop, but I like the kitchen best. It's not that it's ideal, but it's handy for inspiration (thinking when doing chores) and for distractions (cooking and eating)...

Work inspiration

Work inspiration often comes by chance: from travel (even on foot); while swimming; from procrastination, which really means when I'm thinking (but not in front of a screen); from listening to other people and I've been very lucky to interview some amazingingly creative people; but especially from listening to my husband, Gregg Virostek, who is a sponge for information, and although we share similar tastes he still manages to tell me about stuff that I didn't know existed at all; I'm particularly interested in exhibitions and I find a lot of inspiration in museums, galleries and all sorts of exhibition environments, including online archives.

Creatives you admire most

I admire so many people (past and present), some of my favourites are; Berthold Lubetkin, Bruno Munari, Ettore Sottsass, Michele de Lucchi, Nicholas Grimshaw, everyone at Studio Ghibli, Takashi Murakami, Jean Paul Gaultier, Alan Fletcher, Mike Dempsey, David Pearson, Graphic Thought Facility, Tracey Neuls, Edmund de Waal...