We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christine George a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Christine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.
In an obscured way, I serve the underserved community of first-time entrepreneurs without capital by helping individuals or partners who have a passion or idea for a product they want to bring to market but cannot afford good design. I do not believe that excellent design should only be for the elite who can afford it. You only have one chance to make a first impression. By using my 40 years of experience to make these startups look professional and established, they have a better chance of flourishing out the gate and succeeding. Consumers now have a much savvier eye for product design. They will buy once for the Brand Identity or packaging design alone. If they love the product, they will come back again and be loyal. I take the client’s vision from the fourth imagination dimension and bring it into physical three dimensions by Graphic Designing their Branding, packaging design, photography, fine art, or whatever is needed to get them going. Most have no idea what they need, and this allows for greater creative freedom and art direction from my end, which is why I enjoy it so much. I work within what they can afford. That has translated into taking a % of the company and no money, % of sales, old-school barter, owning the Brand Identity but allowing them to use the design, to name a few. There are many options. So I become not only their bank, investor, but also their partner in success. If my design and work succeed, they succeed, and we all succeed. I am vested in them, and they feel this. It allows for a more harmonious interaction. I love receiving royalty checks, fun bonuses, and barter. It is a nice partnership into co-creating and being supported in a scary journey they have never ventured into. Having someone with experience of success allows them to stay excited, stay in their dream and passion for their vision, knowing I have their backs on the rest. It creates a nice atmosphere of co-creating and mutual success. I have never had to look for work because paying it forward and helping others somehow always comes back around. There is much joy and gratitude in that.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve loved horses and art for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Sunnyvale, California, with a Big Fat Greek family, our gatherings at the 1,000-acre George Ranch in Sonoma, California, allowed me to dream of a lifestyle that included horses and art. I first connected with the spirit of a horse there, riding bareback across the acres and learning about natural and traditional English riding and ownership.
Inspired by my upbringing and high school years alongside Steve Jobs and the creators of Apple Computers, I set out to create my dream life—a life that involved my passions for horses and art. I believe in enjoying life while working, so choosing what I loved became my driving force.
My professional journey in graphics and packaging design, as well as equine art, is built upon a lifetime of experiences. I’ve been drawing and painting since a young age. After college, I worked for Landor Associates in San Francisco before starting my own design company, which has been going strong for 36 years. Additionally, I’ve taught in higher education for 30 years, serving as assistant Department Chair for the San Francisco Academy of Art University and Chairing the Corcoran College of Art and Design Department in Washington DC for 2.5 years. Alongside these roles, I own my own Olive Oil Brand, serve as the USA Rep for horse boots from Spain, and continue to run my design, photography, and fine art business.
My work has been recognized with awards such as the Best of Napa Award 2015 for small business, a Clio, and 2 Addy Awards. I’ve collaborated on corporate and packaging identities for renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Dole, Jergens, Continental Airlines, and many others. You can view some of my current designs on my website under the Graphic Design and Packaging Design section.
In the realm of equine art, I’ve had the privilege of working with and capturing famous clients like Gandalf’s trusty steed Shadowfax from Lord of the Rings, as well as Kentucky Derby Champions and other notable horses. My equine artistry has been featured in prestigious publications and venues, including internationally recognized exhibitions and galleries.
My art and design work have allowed me to capture the essence of light and spirit, bringing them alive through various mediums. Being a multidimensional artist has filled my life with exciting projects, experiences, and people along the way. I’ve never had to seek out work; instead, the most wonderful projects seem to find me. It’s been a fulfilling journey, and I look forward to continuing until I slide into home plate, having used up every bit of my passion and talent.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
The opportunity to design for NASA came about unexpectedly when I met a 30-year NASA Administrator at a party. As we were parting ways, I couldn’t resist asking him whether the ‘worm’ logo or the ‘meatball’ logo represented the USA on the moon. I expressed my disdain for the meatball logo, jokingly mentioning that I wouldn’t want aliens to mistake it for our symbol of good design. To my surprise, he found my comment amusing and confirmed that it was indeed the worm logo by Nixon on the moon. He then challenged me, asking if I believed I could do better.
Without hesitation, I confidently replied that I knew I could. Intrigued, he encouraged me to showcase my skills. I seized the opportunity and presented my design. He was impressed and suggested that NASA should see it. I enthusiastically agreed, and he facilitated the connection, leading to my collaboration with NASA and a significant shift in my career trajectory.
During my time on the East Coast, where I worked for six years before returning to California, I met my now-husband of 23 years. This experience taught me the importance of persistence and believing in oneself. I’ve always believed that “no” is merely a redirection, guiding us to look in a different direction. Trusting your instincts and staying true to your path is crucial. We are all on our unique journeys, navigating through challenges and successes. In my perspective, there’s no such thing as failure, only opportunities to realign with our true path. Keeping a sense of humor along the way is essential, as the universe often has a way of surprising us in humorous ways.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
There are so many rewards of being an artist. We see the world differently. We feel the world differently. And so we approach the world differently. We enrich others view points by our own expression through whatever media. Being free, your own boss. Doing what ever you want when you want. Working with only people you want to work with. All be it, it’s taken time to get to that level, but worth it. Every yes you say to the universe, it responds with more of it. It just compounds and get’s better and better.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ChristineGeorge.com
- Instagram: christinegeorgeart
- Facebook: Christine George Equine Artist
- Other: Napa Olive Grove = also Facebook and www.NapaOliveGrove.com
Image Credits
©christinegeorge.com