005. Gere Kavanaugh and Lisa Congdon: Creativity at Any Age

This dual feature episode highlights Gere Kavanaugh, the multi-hyphenate designer whose legendary career was championed by key figures in design, alongside Lisa Congdon’s inspiring story of building a thriving creative career later in life, proving it’s never too late to pursue your passions.

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1-min Reel of Gere Kavanaugh's Work

Sources:
Architectural Digest Articles:
A Look at the Life's Work of Multi-Hyphenate Designer Gere Kavanaugh
The Unlikely Story of One of General Motors's First Female Designers
LA Times: Gere Kavanaugh’s color avalanche brightened midcentury California design
2019 Book: A Colorful Life: Gere Kavanaugh, Designer (written by Louise Sandhaus, Kat Catmur)
Metropolis: Gere Kavanaugh: Pioneer With a Penchant for Color
AIGA Medal Article
AIGA Short

Gere Kavanaugh, born in Memphis in 1929, is a legendary American designer known for her vibrant and innovative contributions across industrial design, textiles, and interiors. Educated at the Memphis Academy of Art and Cranbrook Academy of Art, she was influenced by greats like Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen.

In the 1950s, Kavanaugh broke barriers at General Motors as one of the few female industrial designers. In 1960, she founded Gere Kavanaugh Designs in Los Angeles, known for bold colors and playful forms. Her work spans textiles, furniture, and interiors, always pushing the boundaries of traditional design.

Kavanaugh's influence extends through her collaborations, mentorship, and numerous awards, including the AIGA Medal in 2010. Her legacy is marked by innovation, courage, and an unwavering dedication to making the world a more beautiful, functional place.

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Thank you to Lisa Congdon!
https://lisacongdon.com/
https://www.instagram.com/lisacongdon

Her exhibit is up at St. Mary's until June 23, 2024: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/museum-art/lisa-congdon-hold-it-lightly

Lisa Congdon an internationally known fine artist, illustrator and writer. She makes art for clients around the globe, including The Library of Congress, Target, Wired Magazine, Amazon, Google, Schwinn, Warby Parker, Method, Comme des Garcons, REI and MoMa, among many others. She exhibits internationally, including solo shows at Saint Mary's College Museum of Art (California), Chefas Projects (Oregon) and Paradigm Gallery (Philadelphia), along with group shows at Hashimoto Contemporary in Los Angeles, Museum of Design Atlanta and The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. She is the author of ten books, including Art Inc: The Essential Guide to Building Your Career as an Artist and Find your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic. Lisa is self-taught and didn’t achieve momentum in her career until she was nearly 40 years old. Despite her untraditional path, Lisa has achieved recognition, not just as an artist, but as a leader in the industry for her work in social justice, mentoring and teaching. In March of 2021, she was named “One of the 50 Most Inspiring People and Companies According to Industry Creatives” published by AdWeek. When she's not making art, you can find her racing her bike around Oregon. She lives and works in Portland, Oregon.

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View all the visually rich 1-min reels of each woman on IG below:

Instagram: Amber Asay
Instagram: Women Designers Pod