Communication Design student on creating her own stained-glass business
07 May 2026
Alongside studying MA Communication Design, creative Georgie Morton is forging an exciting business in stained-glass art with the support of Falmouth University’s Dragons’ Den competition.
Specialising in the copper foil technique, with her inspiration drawn from traditional tattooing and the ‘whimsigoth’ style and subculture, Georgie’s brand, Madame Solder, also offers a more diverse range of contemporary designs and commissions, and is a project she has been building whilst studying for her MA. Having always dreamed of owning her own business, Georgie is on a mission to bring the craft of stained glass to a wider audience through welcoming, beginner friendly workshops that celebrate traditional craft in a modern way.
We chatted with Georgie to learn more about coming second place in this year’s Falmouth instalment of Dragons’ Den, how she plans on using the funds and how her student experience at Falmouth has helped her to take charge of her creative future.
You recently received £2,000 in funding for Madame Solder through Falmouth’s Dragons’ Den competition. In what ways will you utilise your new funds to develop the brand?
I’m really grateful to have been placed second in Dragons’ Den and to have received £2,000 in funding! I’ve created a structured business plan outlining how I aim to use the funds over the next 12 months as a Falmouth alumnus.
Right now, my master’s degree is taking priority over the development of the business, however once my course ends in September I plan to hit the ground running with my start up. Initially, I’m allocating over half the funds to develop the business and grow the brand. This includes packaging materials for safe delivery and in-person sales at markets, ecommerce site listings, postage costs, social media paid advertising, email marketing for my existing database, equipment replenishment, collaborations with local businesses to build relationships within the community and market stall hires.
Once I’m more developed as a functioning ecommerce and in-person seller, with more eyes on the brand, I will allocate what’s leftover to launch workshops. These will begin on a small scale due to safety and equipment limitations, but in the future, I plan to follow traditional creative workshop business models, including half day beginner sessions, full day workshops, intermediate levels, themed events and business collaborations or pop ups.
Long term, if all goes to plan, I would love to open a studio space where I could introduce open access, allowing creatives to pay a membership fee to use the facilities.
While you’ve been a student you’ve also been working with Tor Pottery, Newquay as part of Falmouth’s micro-internship scheme. How has your experience as an intern supported both your time on your course and with Madame Solder?
My time at Tor Pottery has been really useful as a Cornwall-based creative, as it has helped connect me with local creatives.
Working for a female-owned business has been really inspiring and shown me what the future could look like for someone who plans to set up a creative workshop-based business. Danielle and Jenna, and a special mention to Claire, have been great mentors. I’ve not only learnt a lot about ceramics but about the day-to-day running of a studio, from managing materials to supporting workshops with set up and clean down.
The internship has also supported my MA, particularly within my ‘Sustain’ module, where our brief encouraged us to take on opportunities that align with our future aspirations and career practice. My time at Tor has been really valuable in building experience for my next steps and I used it as part of my submission for that module, alongside my participation in Dragons’ Den.
What inspired you to enrol onto Falmouth's MA Communication Design course?
After graduating with a first-class degree in marketing from Leeds Beckett University, I secured a graduate role as a marketing and design assistant at Ornamental Trees Ltd. As the main design creative within the marketing department, I was given a lot of creative freedom and worked on a range of projects. The team there gave me a lot of confidence in my design work, which inspired me to pursue a more formal design qualification, coming from a more business focused background.
Living in Cornwall has always been on my bucket list so I took the plunge, left my grad job and moved from Leeds to Falmouth. The MA Communication Design course aligned really well with my aspirations to develop as a designer, while still being open in what we can produce, including physical outcomes, which suits my background as a fine artist.
How have you found your time studying at Falmouth?
It’s been really rewarding and has helped me gain a clearer understanding of what I want to do with my creative future. I’ve taken more risks in my practice and allowed the final outcome to develop more naturally, whereas in the past I have been more rigid.
It’s felt intense at times balancing my MA with part-time work, Dragons’ Den and my internship at Tor Pottery, but I wouldn’t change it as I enjoy taking on new opportunities and pushing myself.
The time management skills I’ve developed are something I will definitely carry forward into my future career, and my design skills have also directly supported my brand in developing the logo and overall identity for Madame Solder.
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