We are going to get this out there from the get-go, we love this week’s Lighting Hero, Claudia Paz, and have done from the get-go, from the first time we met her at The PLDC in Rome in 2015, her joy, her passion and enthusiasm for light is infectious and her creative talent is outstanding and admired all around the world.
How have we got to No. 27 in our series before getting around to Claudia? We guess that there are so many heroes and so little time and for this, we can only apologize. She is a little tucked away down in a corner of the Southern Hemisphere, so if you are hearing of her for the first time, then take an interest, but we doubt that is the case her reach is wide.
Imagine being a lighting designer passionate about creating immersive and interactive lighting experiences, projects that bring communities together, that touch and engage, projects that tell stories projects that have meaning: now imagine having this vision and mission and being based in Peru, without Western or Middle Eastern budgets, this is testament to Claudia’s genius, she makes it happen.
Sometimes as lighting designers, we have to harness the inner child and of this, we are no doubt that Claudia is capable, but what if you give free rein to that child, let it out, let the imagination run free, fully aware that it will need all the powers of your inner tiger and inner ambassador to make the project happen. Very often Claudia will see the problem, solve the problem with a creative solution and then have to go and find the funding to make it happen! Go figure!
Aside from us all this and we make no apology here if you see a pattern emerging, Claudia is a delight, a nicer and more fun lighting designer to hang out with is hard to find, she supports young lighting designers, she is a supporter of Women in Lighting, so much so that she is their Ambassador for Peru, Claudia has so much humility and seems to have a smile and a hug for everyone.
David Gilbey had the honor of sharing the stage with Claudia a few weeks ago during Light Middle East where she was the Keynote speaker on the Rise of Light Festivals, he loved spending time in her company and for the first time meeting her creative partner, the Ying to her Yang, Cesar Castro.
In terms of flair, vision, and creativity, Claudia is right up there, but in terms of humility, empathy & soul Claudia stands way above. Claudia, you’re an inspiration and a lighting hero and we salute you.
