Interview with designer Laura Strange
Laura Strange is an uber-talented young woman. Her thirst for design has catapulted her career ahead of many her own age, and already this year has expanded her creative achievements to include four group art shows.
Laura started her design journey with a Bachelor of Design at Griffith University’s College of Art and scored the Best Portfolio award upon graduation.
After completing her degree, Laura and several of her fellow graduates devised and created IncStamp. This emerged out of a need to connect with other young designers, and the desire to bridge the gap between graduates and professionals. Primarily Brisbane-based, Incstamp runs events and plans creative briefs for those in the community to respond to. This gives an opportunity to respond creatively without the restraints of a client brief.
Currently working for the leading Brisbane design and branding agency, Lloyd Grey Design, Laura is constantly inspired by the team she works with by day. At all other hours of the day, Laura experiments with creative projects for shows and personal development, and attends pretty much any conference or event on design. She also credits her partner Claudio Kirac, another super-talented local creative, for giving her the drive to achieve more.
Laura is one of many creatives showcasing their love and appreciation for Japanese pop culture in tonight’s Iro Iro Pop group exhibition.
Iro Iro Pop
A celebration of Japanese culture through art and design
Friday 3rd August, 7pm
Salt House Gallery
888 Brunswick St, New Farm, Brisbane
For more information, check out the Facebook event page.
For frequent updates and work in progress, follow Laura’s Instagram.
How have you got to where you are today?
During high school, I didn’t take art as I never had strong illustrative and hand drawing skills. We had a class called ITS where we learned a little about building websites and using some of the Adobe programs. This class was definitely what sparked my interest.
When I finished school I scored the ITS award and also did one uni subject in the Bachelor of Design. I obviously enjoyed it (we got to make giant cardboard chickens, what’s not to enjoy?), and went on to study for a Bachelor of Design.
Throughout uni, I worked as a broadcast designer for Channel Seven which I feel has really given me a strong foundation on which to begin my professional career.
Then, When I finished Uni I had my heart set on working at Lloyd Grey, so I hassled one of the directors on folio night, and next thing I knew I had an interview! I’ve now been there for close to 18 months.
Tell me about IncStamp! How did this come about and what’s your involvement?
IncStamp is an artist-run collaboration about creating opportunities for up-and-coming creatives in Brisbane. We initially started as a way to stay in touch, do something creative outside of our 9-5’s (and the client brief), and create opportunities to make new work and gain exposure.
A friend from uni, Peter Bian was offered an opportunity to use a cafe space to exhibit works and called us together to see if we’d be interested in starting something. We all felt that as graduates there weren’t a lot of open opportunities around to assist with bridging the gap between being graduates and professionals. We wanted IncStamps to help do this by providing a platform for exposure and networking and a place to create new work.
Since March 2011 we have held 4 exhibitions with a multitude of creatives including illustrators, photographers, other designers, musicians, and fine artists.
Our second exhibition for 2012 is titled Designate and is inspired by the influence of design.
In a few words, describe yourself…
Strange by name, and sometimes by nature. I’m a glass-half-full kind of girl and I’ve been told I’m vibrant, passionate, and unique. I can also be a bit of a perfectionist and stress-head.
What are you spending your time on at the moment?
Outside of my 9-5 at Lloyd Grey Design 2012 has really been about having fun with design and experimenting with ways of blending my design skills with art, networking with lots of other creatives, exhibiting work, and getting my name out there.
I’ve recently done a letterpress workshop at the Brisbane Museum of Print at Design College Australia which was great and I’d like to pursue something down that path as a collaboration in the future.
Right now I’ve just finished a series of three Japanese-inspired creations for the Iro Iro Pop exhibition to be held at Salt House this Friday night from 7 onwards.
Do you have a ritual for getting into the creative mindset? Or a creative process?
At work, I have quite a methodical process especially when approaching bigger jobs. I use mind mapping, research, and insights into the client to inspire the creative direction.
I’m a strong believer in the Bauhaus principle that form should follow function – design should help to transform business and impact the way people operate and not just look good, and this process helps to achieve those results.
In my outside-of-work pursuits, my more art-based projects, my process is much more sporadic and loose, more of a tinker-and-see-what happens type of approach, I try not to think too much – if it’s going to happen, it will. For me, this work is less about creating practical solutions and more about personal experimentation between design and art principles, materials, and forms.
What or who inspires you?
Claudio is a huge influence on my personal and professional pursuits, along with my family and friends – who teach me honesty, integrity, and the value of hard work. My directors at work are fabulous at what they do and inspire me day-to-day in the office – they have hugely influenced my belief and understanding of design.
I also love browsing through photography work, mainly fashion, and seeing what feelings the photographer has created through their image. I don’t really have a checklist of the top ten people or places I go to for inspiration, I seek it in my every day and like to find inspiration in the smallest or most unnoticed things around me.
What are you most proud of?
From an achievements point of view, I graduated uni with the Best Portfolio Award which was a pretty huge, and unexpected accomplishment for me. On the art front, I participated in I Used to Skate Once 8 this year, which was a real honour for me to be involved in such a well-respected and established show.
I’m also very proud of what we have achieved collectively with IncStamp as it’s really pushed my work in a new direction – when I finished uni I never thought I’d be showing work in exhibitions!
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
An actor, a dancer, a singer, (and trust me, I could never and still can’t do any of those things!), and also a lawyer. I often still get told I’d make a good lawyer as I’m pretty good at arguing my case, even when my argument is completely invalid! I never get told that I would make a good singer though…
