Clark Orr

Who is Clark Orr?

I am a graphic designer and illustrator here in Orlando, FL. I focus on branding, digital illustration, and packaging.

What motivates you to create?

I have this innate sense that I need to be creating, which sounds very big and maybe spiritual, but I’m happy when I create and I have this thing inside me that says that I have to keep making something.

In the wake of Pulse, you got to respond by making artwork. What was that like?

Yeah, that was obviously a heavy day for Orlando and the gay community. I tried to figure out a way that I could give back—how I could be most effective. I didn’t think it was through giving blood or donating water. I wanted to figure a bigger impact and how I could spend my time quickly.

So I designed a print—an Orlando print—the morning after I found out and hit up Mama’s Sauce here in Orlando and they donated the printing cost and our friends French Paper in Michigan donated the paper and we just went to work.

We put it up online and I think we raised over $10,000 for the victims of Pulse and their families. Which was a much better use of our time than spending $50 or $100 on water or standing in line [at a blood bank] when they were turning people away. I felt very lucky to contribute and help out when our town was most in need.

What’s it like being married to a fellow creative?

It’s awesome! We have a company together called Hellcats Inc. My wife, Brittany, has her own company called Good Company Co. She makes her own clothes and wall hangings.

She’s great at what she does, and we wanted to figure out a way to collaborate together that was outside of what both of us were used to. We started about 7 months ago and it’s been awesome.

Why are you in Orlando?

Orlando is awesome. I love it because there’s something in the water here. So many designers and creatives are actually from here. I’m a strong proponent of staying here and making this place even cooler than it already is, which is honestly pretty cool.

Orlando needs more people like that.

Yeah! What’s crazy is we have a lot of them and right now we’re starting to learn that and a lot of people are realizing if you want to see something, and be a part of something, you gotta do it on your own. There’s a gold rush here now and it’s inspiring. I like being a part of it.

What do you find exciting about some of the work being done in Orlando?

It’s really on par with stuff that’s going on in New York, in LA, in San Francisco, in Chicago, and London, and Paris. Honestly, a lot of people are doing stuff out here even better than some of those places. And it’s also affordable to do your dream here. You can’t start a business here and then move it out to San Francisco. There’s no way you can do that. I think that’s part of why you’re seeing a large movement of people who are from here and even some people who are moving here to start their dream. It’s really cool.