Interview with Lauren Gornik (USA)

Questions by Sandi Mujanovic & answers by Lauren Gornik
(2024/02/26)


Question 1:

Did you go to an art academy or graphic design school or are you self thaught?

I went to a state school for illustration and graduated with my bachelor's in 2014. Before that I had always been artistically inclined and a creative, which landed my several grants for college.

Question 2:

What are the most prominent bands or companies you designed for? Name your favourites...

Honestly I have to really think on this but off the top of my head I've done work for all the big wrestlers like Ric Flair, Iron Sheik, Bret Hart, Hardy Brothers, and all of the AEW roster. I've done work for the top racers in Nascar/racing including Kyle Larson, Donny Schatz, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliot, Kyle Busch, many many more over the last ten years.

In heavy metal, I've been all over the place, most of the bigger names I've worked for were tour or concert flyers, some of which made it into album booklets and special features on dvds. So these bands would be Voivod, Autopsy, Coroner, Vio-lence, Mortician, Bulldozer, Deceased, The Accused, DRI, Savage Master to name a few.

Question 3:

At what age did you start getting interested in design?

My mom was a fantastic artist and got me interested early. She always encouraged me and was a big inspiration in developing my skills, so I'd say very young.

Question 4:

Have you seen many live concerts? What bands did you enjoy the most?

I've likely seen thousands at this point and while it's hard to narrow down, some of the most memorable shows were DIY shows in Chicago or Dekalb as a teen/college kid. A lot of local death metal,thrash, grind stuff. Many good, life-long friendships formed. Beyond that, impactful live bands I can recall at this point in time were Inquisition, Nyogthaeblisz, KMFDM, The Devil's Blood, Electric Wizard, Sanctuary, Autopsy, Coroner, plenty of others I'm forgetting here.

Queston 5,:
Are you secretly in the band Hulder?

It's been incredibly stressful having to hide this, but you've found me out. I've been living the Mikey Cyrus Hannah Montana life and it's catching up with me.

Question 6:
Do you date other designers and artists too or you keep it private?

I'm a serial long-term monogomist. Extremely private about who I date, but it's nice to keep people guessing

Question 7:
What would be your dream assignment as designer?

Most of my dreams have come true in the design world, but I'd love to have some of my favorite bands contact me for album art, tour posters. I'm over doing as many shirt designs but will accept those on occasion.