Georgia Mckie

BA(Hons), MA(RCA)

Senior Lecturer

Tel:

+44 (0) 1792 481000

E-mail:

georgia.mckie@uwtsd.ac.uk

Role in the University

Senior Lecturer on BA(Hons) Surface Pattern Design

Background

On graduating from the Royal College of Art with MA Constructed Textiles I set about marrying my creative outputs with a high-end commercial need.

Since then I have worked freelance for fashion design houses, businesses and designers, and freelance for textile sample design agents.  I have also marketed my own products under my own name nationally and internationally.

I have been working in HE since graduating from the RCA in 1997 alongside my own creative practice.  I also worked in FE for 7 years alongside these commitments.

Academic Interests

I drive the Professional Studies and the Marketing, Promotion and Exhibition modules on the Surface Pattern Course and thrive on the challenge of making them link seamlessly to the projects which are going on in the design studios. The course has four pathways and the module needs to be flexible enough to satisfy all targeted career directions relating to these.  

Another key area of my teaching is facilitating and targeting live projects and external liaisons. The Major Project Modules are broad enough to accommodate ad hoc opportunities reflecting the environment that the students will have to respond to in the real world.  Experiences of externality range from local to global and this dynamic approach is now at the core of the course.

I deliver a wide variety of practical workshops across the Surface Pattern Programme and it’s four pathways. I am involved with the planning of the projects across the programme but work most closely with the 2nd and 3rd year groups. The keystone to all studio based/practical projects on the Surface Pattern course is drawing and it is from these rigorous starting points that we expand out the design process in whatever appropriate directions the projects dictate.

This involves demonstrations and workshops developing strategies for drawing and recording ideas, mood boards and visual communication skills, demonstrations of techniques and testing of processes and suitable materials in response to initial findings, discussions of concepts, strategies, potential outcomes and target contexts. I work across this expanse but I would say my area of specialism has become the development of pattern – printed, constructed and knitted.

I steer knitted textiles workshops with 2nd and 3rd year groups interested in following a more constructed route.

Research Interests

For many years my research was focussed entirely within knitted textiles and knitwear. In recent years this has shifted to allow exploration within a wider textile design framework.  This has involved expanding my horizons in response to changing technology, trends and innovations and essentially to fuel my role as Senior Lecturer on the incredibly far-reaching Surface Pattern Design programme. Pedagogical research underpins my personal practice based research at this time where I am taking a break from running my own business while I have a young family.  

A consistent link to industry via live and community engagement projects, and the pursuit of my own professional development ensures that the content of the programmes I employ are relevant and current to the prospective career pathways of the students I teach.  This represents the fundamental principle of my research interests presently.

I have worked freelance for high-end fashion design houses and designers, and freelance for textile sample design agents. I have worked as a trend consultant with a textile studio. I have worked as a designer maker under my own name, selling my products nationally and exporting them to America through a New York based agent.  I have sold my work through established gallery and museum curated shops as well as boutiques and internationally renowned high-end department stores. I have worked with individuals on commissions. I have sold through design fairs, trade fairs and agents. I have received support from The Arts Council of Wales twice, and the UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) once.

Expertise

My specific area of expertise within textiles is knitted textiles. I have worked in a knitwear and knitted textiles capacity and specialised to MA Constructed Textiles – Knitted Textiles, at the RCA.

On the Surface Pattern Course I specialise in teaching the design process across the breadth of our course. I have been involved in driving improvement in the way students have been able to plan for, design and analyse pattern and it’s application on this course – both printed and constructed.

I specialise in enhancing the Surface Pattern Programme’s externality and links with industry through live projects, external liaisons and competitions. This is supported through Major Modules and practical studio based projects as well as through the External Project, Professional Studies and Marketing, Promotion and Exhibition Modules.