Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole J. Georges.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nicole. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a graphic novelist, professor & podcaster. Sometimes a pet portrait artist! I identify as a Portlander, living in LA.
I started drawing when I was a kid and I never stopped.
I started making my own autobiographical comics and zines when I was in high school, inspired by riot grrl and personal zines. I have been publishing my work ever since.
I have two graphic memoirs- Calling Dr. Laura and Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home.
I do a weekly podcast called Sagittarian Matters. We talk about art, feminism, advice, and weird vegan foods.
Has it been a smooth road?
When I was in my early 20s, a palm reader told me my father was alive. I had been told by my family that he was dead my whole life. A year later, when asked, my sister confirmed that what the palm reader had said was true.
My book, “Calling Dr. Laura”, is about the time in my life when I went out in search of the truth around my father, why my family had kept him a secret from me, and why I never questioned it. During my time of grief and questioning, I ended up calling Dr. Laura Schlessinger, a conservative talk show host, for advice.
After five years of writing, drawing, and editing this book, it came out! The week before I left for book tour, my dog of 16 years, Beija, passed away. I had to leave home and tell everyone about my family trauma and mystery, while my current-day animal heart was broken. My next book, “Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home”, was the result of that enormous grief.
I took myself to a small town in Vermont for a fellowship and met cartoonist Chris Ware. Upon our first meeting, I began telling him about my dog Beija (the grief was coming through the cracks). I said “This dog is like the baby I had in high school”. Chris Ware commented “that would be a good line in a graphic novel”. And so it was! I decided to draw about the thing that was consuming me- my love for my dog Beija and how having her from my teenage years into adulthood shaped me and blasted a heart shaped hole in my life.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I draw a lot of animals. I always have. I’ve been vegan for 23 years.
I currently live with a one-eyed dog named Ponyo, and she is a frequent contributor to my comics, my podcast and my Instagram page. Ponyo has her own fan club and her own friends, separate from me! (@Ponyogeorges on Instagram)
I specialize in autobiographical and nonfiction comics. I like to interview queer people and feminists for my podcast, Sagittarian Matters, and I like to try delicious and weird vegan foods. My friends and I talk about food on the podcast when we are not busy giving advice and telling people the inside scoop on living as a working artist without the benefit of structural support.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I really like walking up hills with my dog and seeing the beautiful light of magic hour as it hits the plants all around me. I like my queer artist friends, and I like the vegan food (Little Pine, Joy, Donut Friend & Gokoku Ramen) very much.
I do not like seeing people with expensive cars & exorbitant wealth roll past people who are struggling and sleeping on the streets without a second thought. I do not like that I cannot let my chihuahua mix off leash in the park without fear of a coyote having her for a snack.
Pricing:
- I do black & white pet portrait illustrations for $400.
- I do color pet portrait illustrations for $500.
- People can join my dog Ponyo’s Friend Club for $10/month on patreon.com/nicolejgeorges
Contact Info:
- Website: nicolejgeorges.com
- Instagram: @nicolejgeorges @ponyogeorges @sagittarianmatters
- Twitter: @nicolejgeorges
- Other: sagittarianmatters.podbean.com
Image Credit:
Photo by Tom’s One Hour Photo
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