Richard Gourley
CONSULTANT / CD . Art director
Who
I grew up on the Coromandel, then at 16 headed to the big smoke (Hamilton) to chase my dreams. Worked as a junior art director, illustrator, designer, finished artist, garden gnome painter, and bottle stacker. Having got a taste of big city living, I headed to the UK where I had my first real agency experience – as a motorbike courier making a delivery to Saatchi & Saatchi London. It was the first time I had ever seen a man wearing a suit and a ponytail at the same time.
What
Since those early days I have been a head designer for a small London studio, freelanced as a retail art director in Sydney, spent 4 years as creative group head (art based) at Mattingly, been a freelance art director at Patts and DDB Brisbane as well as numerous Auckland agencies, including 2 years as Creative Director at Walkers. Retail, Brand, Direct, Design, I’ve done it all.
A couple of years ago I designed and built an outdoor solar shower. In 2007 it won a Supreme Award for design and innovation and is now receiving international market interest. Realising I was pretty good with tools, I decided to design and build a guesthouse at our beach property. It hasn’t blown over …yet.
Why
As an independent creative I love the variety and challenges of finding an innovative solution.