Zoë Mowat (1985) operates Zoë Mowat Design, a studio in Montreal, Canada, that focuses on furniture and objects. Zoë’s approach is a sculptural and intuitive exploration of color, material, form and texture that is counterbalanced by a curiosity and desire to create functional objects that can be enjoyed and that can endure.
“I like to consider the rhythm of my creative process, and it doesn’t necessarily come from sitting at a desk,” says Mowat, who recently packed up her studio in Montreal for a temporary job teaching product design at Parsons School of Design in New York. “You’ve also got to think about the passive moments. Exploring the world around you builds new synapses for what’s coming in and what you’re feeding off.”
Known for her signature sculptural forms and a refined color palette, Mowat has collaborated with Canadian design giants, EQ3 and Umbra, as well as smaller design establishments. No matter the scale, the designer stays true to her design philosophy. “I believe in a democratic approach where objects can be more accessible, but still contain some meaning.”
Although Mowat has an undeniable signature esthetic, she doesn’t like to be pigeonholed with specific design styles. “I don’t like labels; I don't like to focus too much on one thing.”
She keeps herself challenged by reaching for different materials, often masterfully mixing wood, metal and stone. For example, her design for the Ora mirror is an elegant composition of brass, marble and coloured wood while the Assembly Dressing Table, designed for EQ3, incorporates glass, steel and lacquered MDF. Her most recent design, the Aizome Cabinet, designed for a Japanese brand Ariake, acts as a canvas for traditional Japanese colours and finishes, incorporating Sumi ink, red dye, and two contrasting shades of Japanese Indigo.
In 2018, she was one of a handful of designers chosen by Wallpaper Handmade X to produce bespoke items to show at the renowned furniture fair, Salone del Mobile, in Milan.
Mowat’s discerning eye for composition stems from her formative years and hours spent in an art studio with her mother, sculptor Catherine Burgess. “My mother’s work has been hugely influential to my work. I see similarities and approaches,” says the designer. “She uses a lot of geometric forms and it's really how I started as well: looking at geometry.”
She initially wanted to pursue sculpture but changed her mind last minute and enrolled in the industrial design program at the University of Alberta. Following graduation, Mowat relocated to Montreal, a city she felt would allow her to maintain an independent studio practice.
Aside from her love of geometry and intense relationship with colour, Mowat often looks for inspiration during her travels. “I really love looking at how things come together: looking at seams, joinery, connections.” She hones her skills by participating in various design workshops, most recently in Morodomi, Japan and in Porto, Portugal.
She also shares her expertise with a younger generation of designers, through teaching stints at the University of Oregon and Parsons School of Design in New York. “I teach my students how to have a sustainable creative practice, how to feel creative and feel inspired over a long period of time. Because not everyone is this brilliant person with ideas flowing out of them all the time.”
She also seeks refuge in her favourite museums. “Museums are always good places to reflect.” Among her favourites: the Noguchi Museum in Queens, which houses the work of Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, and The Fricke Collection, a small Manhattan jewel filled with old master paintings and fine furniture. “I always feel so restored when I go in there, sort of refreshed and replenished.”
Between teaching and running her own design business, it’s easy to sometimes get overwhelmed. “It’s good to be aware of your practice and your mind and not just look at the endless scroll of content that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. I definitely try to disconnect, focus on being mindful and focus on what brings me joy and makes me creative.”© 2020. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by Zoë Mowat. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only
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| Ms. Zoë Mowat |
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| Soft table, 2007 |
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Circumflex chair, 2008-11
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Stack lamp, 2009
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| Stratus pendant lamp, 2011 |
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| Stratus table lamp, 2011 |
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Pedestal table, 2012
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Arbor Jewelry stand, 2013
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Arbor Jewelry stand, 2013
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Tall cache cabinet, 2013
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| Tall cache cabinet, 2013 |
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| Tall cache cabinet, 2013 |
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Tablescape, 2014
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Ora mirror, 2015
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Ora side table, 2015
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Ora side table, detail, 2015
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Campfire trivet, 2015
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Brush study, 2016
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Periscope coat rack, 2016
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Rung rack, 2017
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| Rung rack, 2017 |
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Aizome cabinet, 2017
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| Aizome cabinet, 2017 |
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Split mirror, 2017
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Split mirror, back, 2017
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Split mirror, 2017
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| Trestle bowls, for OTHR, 2017 |
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Anti-stress objects, 2018
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Beau travail toolbox, 2018
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| Assembly dressing table, for EQ3, n.d. |
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Quarry bowls, n.d.
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Quarry bowls, n.d.
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