Meet Georgina Kurnia | Packaging & Branding Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Georgina Kurnia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Georgina, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
Piglet once said, “The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.” I find this quote super meaningful and encouraging because growing up, everyone I knew always called me sensitive. Instead of taking it as an insult, I choose to embrace my sensitivity. It makes me a more empathic person and designer. I’m able to put myself in other people’s shoes and create based on how they perceive the world. I love being sensitive because not only do I become more sensitive to people’s needs, but I dive into the emotional and technical details that others might overlook. I always remember to have this quote playing in the back of my head to remind me that accepting my uniqueness makes me special and valuable.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a packaging designer, my journey has been challenging and rewarding. I didn’t always want to go into packaging design, I didn’t always enjoy it, but my love for it grew the more I dipped my fingers in sculpting the forms and creating the palette. There’s more to packaging than simply pasting a pretty image and type on paper. It’s about piquing interest and creating lasting impressions and experiences through design and form. I aspire to craft experiences that make it easier for people to use a product or packaging.

I love working with colors and textures to tell a story. My goal in each project is not solely to make a product/packaging look better, it’s about creating a meaningful connection between the brand and its users.

It’s been a long and tough journey, and I know that it’s only the start, but I’ve learned a lot from each project. I’ve learned to always be curious, eager to learn, and design with an open mind. I look forward to the journey that’s ahead of me. I strive to always design with approachability, immerse myself in the audience’s shoes, and listen because great design comes from each person’s unique stories.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’ve spent most my of time hanging out with friends and family either around Pasadena or West LA, so my favorite places are spread across those areas. I think an itinerary for a week-long trip with me would look a little like this. I love exploring and eating food and I’m always down to try out new places but a few of my favorite restaurants are: Paper Rice, Seoul Tofu, Five Star Seafood Restaurant, Yakitoriya, Oo Kook, Coco Ichibanya, and Han Bat Shul Lung Tang. For some drinks or dessert, I love Intelligentsia, Go Greek, Ben Gong, and KC’s Crepes, to name a few. I enjoy spending time and catching up with friends, so if I’m not chilling at home or at a cafe/restaurant with them, I’d bring them to some of my comfort places like The Huntington, Color Me Mine, around Old Town Pasadena, and Westfield Century City.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my first shoutout to my family. Even if they’re halfway across the world or city, there has never been a day that they didn’t support and motivate me. They have always been a call away, ready to encourage and push me when I was feeling unmotivated and stressed. Second, to my dearest friends, whom I’ve cried tears of joy and sadness with. They have been with me through the highs and lows of ArtCenter. There’s never a day where I don’t hear them telling me to stop, get out, have some fun, and take my mind off work. Lastly, to my instructors who have been my biggest source of inspiration and guidance throughout my career, thank you for pushing and improving me to always strive to be a better person and designer.

Website: ginakurnia.com

Instagram: ginakurnia

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/georginakurnia

Image Credits
Georgina Kurnia