Known for his exemplary commercial portfolio, Girvin designs many things. In his studio, he has designed tables crafted from industrially-reclaimed timber, long horizontal sheaths of wood showing the true grain, knots and separation of grain in the wood. Along the smooth grain, there is the pattern and imagery of a profound level of thinking. Giant symbolic brushstrokes render concepts of [circle] for holism, [the whorl] for renewal, [the long stroke] meaning flow, and the [X] symbolizes the crossroads of ideas.
Girvin takes stones and engraves symbols to create runes, a Nordic talisman for writing, meaning and magic. “I’ve painted these with black ink, scratched and carved them, given them away, as gifts. They are often painted on stones that stand, or other objects; in this way, one can look at them like meditation objects.”
There are many other things Girvin has designed as extensions of his continuing curiosity and passion to always be in the midst of creation. Girvin has designed tableware for Disney hotels, all of the interiors and furnishings for a new winery in Lake Chelan, logos for hundreds of major Hollywood movies, the skin of a major department store in Osaka, storytelling for a 400 year old saké brewery in Kobe, art for a Zen monastery in Japan, as well as creating a new brand and restaurant concept in NYC. It’s the Girvin philosophy that — with research, preparation, and a talented team — you can design anything.
