Hello there and thanks for stopping by. My name is Kate Tessier. I put my full energy into my work and it shows. That’s why I’m Kilowatt Kate!
My specialty is collaborations. Either with companies to develop a product line, with artists to create new lighting, manufacturers to develop products to compliment their capabilities or with fellow designers in creating community to support and promote the cultural and economical value of design.
For a bit more detail about these things, read on…
As a product designer, I design, develop, and engineer decorative hardware that are mass-produced and available through major North American retailers and through commercial distribution.
As a producer, I employ my skills as an industrial designer across not only 3D and 2D print elements but also digital and audio/visual elements to convey a complex story or message clearly and make it resonate. I assemble cross-functional teams to make these experiential projects come together quickly. I developed eight titles for the Mysterious Package Company.
As a luminaire designer, I take any space as a canvas for great illumination. A well-illuminated space is not only functional, it is pleasing, comforting, safe, and inclusive. I love to employ my skills to create great locally produced lighting solutions. My work includes lighting for Holt Renfrew, Shoppers Drug Mart, Toronto Botanical Gardens, Body Blitz Spa, and Beth Tivah Synagogue. In January 2024, I completed 31 lights in 4 months with 11 artists-in-residence at Harbourfront Centre.
I like to get hands on with the making of things as often as I can.
Improving the relationships between local manufacturers, local designers, and the local economy as been a priority for me for many years. This desire led me to create Manufacturers + Designers Connect to foster more local design to be put into production locally too by simply changing how they work together.
Developing exhibitions as a curator and co-creator is my way of continuing this work in the realm of Craft & Design brings me to Harbourfont Centre as Senior Designer in Residence.
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https://substack.com/@kilowattkate
KILOWATT KATE 