Welcome to ‘10 QUESTIONS for…’ a series of 10 interviews with 10 designers from around the globe, where I get to share with you their answers to 10 important and interesting questions related to their artistic career in the Surface Pattern Design industry. I hope you find these interviews informative, fun, creative and inspiring.
This week’s ‘10 Questions for…’ interview is with Georgina owner and designer of Lordy Dordie
It’s time to grab your favourite cuppa, sit back and enjoy the read. This is the ninth interview in this series of ‘10 Questions for…’ Surface Pattern Designer interviews.
Georgina (Georgie) has been creating art for over 25 years. Her education includes a Bachelors degree in fine art and fashion design, and she has a family history of tailors and manufacturers, so creating is definitely in her blood.
If you look at Georgie’s artwork, I guarantee you’ll instantly feel happy. Her artwork is bright and bold, vibrant and colourful. Her designs are packed with stunning contrasting and harmonious colour combinations, abstract shapes or fun florals. They’re all positively joyful creations and are mood boosters, something in which Georgie strives for when creating her happy art. If ever you meet Georgie you’ll see how her beautiful personality is a reflection of her happy art. They go together!
Georgie is an inspiration to those designers who want to get their artwork on gorgeous products. Not only has Lordy Dordie art appeared in successful collaborations with Ruby Olive, Yogat, Mrs Edgar, Liv & Milly, and Jericho Road Clothing to name a few, Georgie has also been hard at work growing her business and producing her own range of products. You can buy all sorts of beautiful gifts and fashion pieces featuring Lordy Dordie prints and patterns, from re-usable shopping bags, umbrellas, boxy tee shirts and comfy swing dresses in her fashion range, to her recently launched homewares range of tea towels, cosmetic bags, handbag clutches and oven mitts.
After successfully collaborating with Kate and Chloe of Jericho Road Clothing, an amazing Brisbane based fashion label, back in 2018, Georgie is collaborating with them again and has another design called Pipe Dreams, releasing on the 22nd May. It’s a beauty, so go check it out and save the release date in your calendar!
I admire Georgie for her creativity, her energy and ‘go get it’ attitude. Georgie is a real inspiration and I know you’ll enjoy reading her answers to the 10 Questions. Enjoy!
Gorgeous rainbow! Copyright Lordy Dordie
Q1. How long have you been actively pursuing or have established a career in art/design/art licensing?
Georgie: I have been a practicing Artist for over 25 years now. I knew at a very early age–maybe 4 or 5–that I wanted to be an Artist! I always knew Art would somehow define me and be a huge part of my life and career; hence it’s a huge part of who I am and what I am driven to do. Most of my earliest memories were of being creative in some way or another – drawing, collaging, painting – and very early on I began to include pattern elements in my illustrations and these pattern elements are now a very strong part of nearly every artwork I do. In the 90’s, I studied Fine Art & Fashion Design, I look back on those days fondly as they were amazing courses to study and truly cemented my love for art, fashion and design.
Q2. What are your favourite tools of the trade?
Georgie: Pencil & Paintbrush! I start every design on paper or canvas. My online design skills are very rusty, so I am currently studying a course online to further my skill set.
Rainbow Daisies. Copyright Lordy Dordie.
Q3. What are some time saving tips you use in your workflow when designing?
Georgie: I need to have a completely uncluttered work area - my brain can’t function in a logical sequence if my studio is a mess! I try to do a quick studio clean up each week and eliminate clutter and obstacles in my painting area. The same applies to my computer, I try to keep all my design files neat and tidy and filed well.
Do what you do best and delegate the rest, is my motto! When starting my business, I learnt very quickly what jobs I could manage & the tasks I couldn’t cope with (accounting kills me). Knowing this and being OK with outsourcing, makes for a happier working life.
Q4. Who are your design idols, past or present and why?
Georgie: Carolyn Gavin - I love Carolyn's design based of critters, flowers and fruits in every shade of the rainbow.
Kindah Khalidy - I am completely enamoured with her candy-coloured amoeba-like shapes & her use of colour & shapes.
Helen Dardik - is a long time favourite, I am continually blown away by the volume of work she creates and the high quality and standard of her work.
Megan Grant - Massive fan of Megan Grant, a Melbourne Artist , her collab with Gorman was next level!
Lordy Dordie and Ruby Olive collaboration. Image copyright Lordy Dordie.
Q5. What’s your favourite colour palette?
Georgie: Every colour in the rainbow! Colour has always been a prominent visual component in my Art (even in the early days) and I use colour to breathe life & heart in my artworks, people connect with colour! I find colour adds that extra something into my artworks that no other element can bring. For me, an artwork can begin with just one blob of colour on a white canvas then the rest just seems to flow & weave together with joy and colour being the consistent thread.
Q6. How do you deal with rejection if a pitch you made to a client with your latest work doesn’t get picked up?
Georgie: Onwards and upwards! My art is bright and epically colourful, so I completely understand that my art and designs aren’t for everyone and I’m not ever offended if that is the case.
Q7. What’s your proudest design achievement in your career to-date?
Georgie: Looking back, there have been many amazing career highlights so far, hard to just pick one! I’d have to say releasing my own small fashion, homewares & accessories ranges is definately up there - It was a bucket list dream for me!
I am also incredibly proud to be an Australian Brand Ambassador for both Liquitex and Winsor & Newton – a career highlight for sure.
For my licencing work, I’ve been lucky enough to work with many amazing brands but one that really stands out as a highlight is working with a local Brisbane Accessories brand, Ruby Olive. The company have licenced three designs to date, working with Ruby Olive has been a dream from start to finish! I’ve made great friends for life too, which was an added bonus of the collaboration too!
Rainbow Lanyard for Ruby Olive. Artwork Copyright Lordy Dordie
Q8. How do you find clients to show your work too and how much does knowing your design aesthetic and ability impact on who you approach?
Georgie: I haven’t pitched my Art and designs to businesses as yet, as all my licensing work comes from either social media connections, recommendations or prior licensing work. I always feel that the right like-minded businesses find you & those collaborations are a dream to work on! I do plan in the future to reach out to businesses that I would love to collaborate with, just need more hours in the day!
Q9. What is a typical and honest day in the life of @lordy.dordie.art look like?
Georgie: No two days or weeks are ever the same! Though I must admit, I love working that way! Working for myself gives me the flexibility to choose my own hours, create my own schedule and juggle my work life balance in a way that suits my family best. I do have a studio assistant and a VA, that help keep my studio neat & tidy and my tower of admin under control.
My work days are a mix of juggling the kids in the morning & afternoon, then packing orders, factoring exercise in is a must, painting when I can, restocking inventory, speaking with manufacturers and suppliers, business admin (& lots more admin), working on collaborations, photography, interviews, working with my wholesale accounts, creating social media posts, creative meetings, checking fabric swatches, working on pattern grading for clothing, product production for new ranges….many different hats! There's always something to do and not enough hours in the day!
Working as a full-time artist as well as juggling motherhood does have its challenges (procrastination is a killer) however these are insignificant when you get to do what you love EVERYDAY.
Q10. What are the top 2 things you wish you knew when starting out in your career, or what would be 2 pieces of advice you’d share with new designers to the industry?
Georgie: Your artistic style is totally specific to you, so embrace it! Your unique artistic style is the result of exploring different tools & mediums, all the amazing things your brain has absorbed over your lifetime, an appreciation of the art practice, refining your craft, the ability to notice and follow the leads your art shows you and finally the repetition of creating your unique style over and over. So go forth, always experiment & enjoy creating art in your own unique style!
Georgie: I Love this quote:
“Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make. Good. Art.” — Author, Neil Gaiman
Thanks for your time answering the ‘10 Questions’ Georgie. I love that quote by Neil Gaiman also. And congratulations on being a brand ambassador for both Liquitex and Winsor & Newton.
You can find out more about Georgie and follow her here:
Website: https://www.lordydordie.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lordydordieart
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lordydordieart
Email: shop@lordydordie.com
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this interview. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.