Duncan Meerding Design

21/10/2026

I am Pleased to announce that I have become a fellow: - a National Regional Arts Fellow ‘26
With the project title of: Haptic design methodology – A studio-based exploration of creating from an alternate sensory world.
It will be a Creative & Professional Development Fellowship and I am super humbled to be one of the 8 national Regional Arts fellows for this year.
About the fellowship:
Working from my purpose-setup studio, ready for adaptive design-making process as a vision impaired practitioner, I will undertake a dedicated period of experimentation, material exploration and skill development, investigating new approaches to form, light, and making. The fellowship will provide dedicated development time, mentorship from Linda Fredheim, and targeted accessibility support. Together, these will enable focused experimentation beyond the constraints of commissioned work. The project will strengthen my technical and creative capabilities, support the long-term sustainability of my practice, and contribute to the ongoing development and sharing of disability-led approaches to design and making.
Supported by Regional Arts Australia and the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund
Image Description:
A man faces the camera, with a red hat and a smile. Behind him, is a large scale lighting installation, of tree trunks with light emanating from the inside, bursting from multiple crack like fissures radiating around each light. Heights of each trunk and stump light.

14/10/2026

International White Cane Day
On October 15 each year, International White Cane Day celebrates the achievements of blind and vision impaired people, while also creating opportunities to discuss accessibility and reduce the barriers that impact participation in everyday life.
Alongside my practice, I have a vision impairment. I regularly use a white cane to identify my vision impairment and assist with independent travel. The cane is only one part of the training that allows me to navigate confidently in my local community, interstate and internationally. That training has come, and continues to come, through Orientation and Mobility instructors, whose work has provided me with the skills and confidence to travel independently.
International White Cane Day is also an opportunity to reflect on the urban and built environment. How can we design and create spaces with universal access in mind?
I will be part of a forum discussing the importance of white canes, what they signify, and how we can make our interactions in shared public spaces more considerate. Simple things can make a difference: looking up from our phones while moving through busy environments, being aware of those around us, and understanding how to respectfully offer assistance. Blind and vision impaired people generally welcome being asked if we need help, but we do not appreciate having our cane grabbed or being physically guided without consent. If you think someone may need assistance, introduce yourself and ask.
I will be joining a panel organised by Blind Citizens Australia Tasmania Branch and Hobart City Council as part of the International White Cane Day event, Walk with Us. The event begins with a walk through Hobart’s C*D, exploring both the challenges and successes of our city spaces, followed by a forum at Hobart Town Hall featuring panellists from the blind and vision impaired community.
There are still places available. If you would like to hear firsthand perspectives on accessibility and inclusion, please search for Walk with Us and RSVP through the Hobart City Council or Blind Citizens Australia websites.

02/10/2026

Upside down…. Just put these Propellers upside down for a final inspection, before going off to clients. . Each patina propeller has unique patterns, as do each petal/ blade. . Copper internals, with Tasmanian Eucalypt external. Video description: a man faces the camera, then changes the focus to a work bench in a workshop setting. The bench has 3 propeller / floral inspired forms sitting on top of it. Each one of these forms has patterned patina copper internals with a range of colours in greens, blues and copper colours.

30/09/2026

Over the last 16 years, my practise has worked closely with Casa Monde Lighting in Sandy bay. It was quite special to have the full crew come up to the workshop to have a look around and a bit of a behind the scenes look at our small design/ making practise. WE were able to show some different processes around some of the various products and had a bit of a chat about some of the products and the story behind them. Codie, Grace, Heather and Lewis all came up and it was great to show them around. If you are local to Hobart, you may have seen the display of some of the designs, especially the Propeller Pendant Lights in various sizes in the front windows. Monde Lighting has consistently supported local design and there are also a range of cool designs from the mainland and overseas on display in the store also.
it is pretty special to have a visit from a shop representing your work and it shows a commitment to explaining the designer and the product that they are selling. Check out the store and have a chat, they can answer any questions and sell you one of the Duncan Meerding range. Thanks to their team for the visit.
Image description: Image 1: Casa Modne Lighting shop manager Codie and Duncan standing either side of a Trunk Light, which is a 1.2 metre high light sentinal, a tree trunk with vertical crack like fissures going up the length of the light, indicate where light beams may come during the night time. They also stand in a workshop scenario, with clamps and other equipment hanging behind them. Image 2. A range of logs stacked on top of some pallets horizontally. The bark is still on the log sections. There is saw dust on the surrounding ground showcasing it is an area for timber work also.
Photos taken by Grace Chatto

24/09/2026

Sequoia dreams. Pretty humbled to be one of the projects selected to shepherd the afterlife of the St David’s sequoia. When City of Hobart put the call out for EOIs, I was pretty excited to put one in. The idea of realising such amazing trees into projects of community significance is exciting to me… It’s pretty core to the principles of a lot of my designs. In fact a lot of my Design practice has been built around the concept of utilising waste material materials that would’ve otherwise been burnt. Through my practise some new lighting based sentinels and other sculptures will be created. Some for exhibit and some for some special commissions…. Humbled to get an opportunity to work with such a tree. It’s sad they died, but great Hobart City Council got such community involvement. Thanks to City of Hobart staff and Bo from Dovetail Timbers
Image description: man in high visibility shirt stands at far end of 5m long felled tree trunk, he is smiling proudly. a white truck lifts the trunk using its crane, side on view of trunk in air running the length of truck, man in workwear pushes the trunk into place as it is held in air by crane.

17/09/2026

Japan stump lights, custom heights. There are some pretty cool features in these ones, Sad to see these ones go.

Video description: workshop scenario, man stands in high vis pointing at, while talking about tree stump vessels with cracks in them, which light comes out of when on.

10/09/2026

Little Stu or big light?

DOT40 exhibition on now until 27 September Rosny Farm

12/06/2026