This is my first blog post…
Well first let me introduce myself to you, I am Katrin, wife to Matt (a fire fighter), mother to our three boys George `8 and 6 year old twins Jacob and Harry, and two springer spaniels Alfie 11 and Barney 6.
We live in Somerset close to the Quantock hills and Exmoor.
2 years ago I decided to give my artwork a proper chance before I got stuck taking more hours on at work. I think this was one of the best decisions that I have ever made, I am so much happier now and our family life is so much better.
So how did I become an Artist? I always get asked where I trained or was I self taught? Well even though I went to college and studied fine art and graphics I consider myself self taught, I was born an artist.
As soon as I could hold a crayon my love of drawing began, I wasn’t interested in many of my toys 🧸 I always went back to a pencil ✏️ and paper, drawing on any blank paper I could find, I would spend hours and hours drawing away.
Through out school I won a couple of colouring/drawing competitions but nothing amazing. I got picked on at school, I am very short (only 5ft at my fully grown 34 year old height) so I was an easy target.
I got 98% in my yr 10 art 🖼 exam (the teacher told my mum it was the highest she could give as there is always room for improvement so they don’t give any higher) but for my year 11 GCSE’S I only got a B, it all depends on your teacher and as people will tell you Art is ‘subjective’, (I was disappointed as I wanted the A as this was all I was good at)
We relocated just before my GCSE’s from Yorkshire to Somerset.
I ended up on a fine art course at my local college, I didn’t do very well, the teacher didn’t like me and told me my work was ‘chocolate box art’ and I was going nowhere. 😔
I finished the course and started a Graphic design degree, didn’t get on that well so I dropped out and started a Media makeup 💄 HND as I have always loved experimenting with makeup, I loved this course and it was very hard work. I passed the course 👩🎓 but struggled to get into the business as you need to relocate to London really and I was too nervous to do this on my own.
So I went into various jobs, recruitment, printing, hairdressing, and painting landscapes at home as a hobby, I tried to get my work in galleries and I was always put down they could say some really hurtful things about my work and after what my tutor had said I thought I wasn’t good enough and no one liked my artwork.
I started doing pet portraits in acrylic paint for some colleagues and family friends and word spread so I got a fair few orders. Anyway fast forward a few years and three children and I asked my mum for some coloured pencils as my 30th bday pressy. (I had seen artists using them and thought they would compliment my highly detailed approach)
I fell in love straight away 😍 I loved working with them and they enhanced my drawings.
My husband suggested I draw some wildlife so I gave it a go and after researching social media I found a lot of wildlife artists selling similar work so I thought why not let’s get some prints done, I just had normal prints done and they sold really well.
My twins started school in the September so in the January before, I started creating my business to launch properly when they went to school, I left my current hairdressing job to ‘give it as go’ other wise I would never know and may regret it. I started having Giclee prints done and selling them locally in a few pubs and gift shops. At Christmas 🎄 I did a few fairs, I was getting great feedback and people where actually buying my prints! 😀
My work was in the homes of others around the country on their walls, making them happy! This made me happy, I felt I had found my chosen subject. 😃
I am now selling limited edition prints, cards, key rings and more recently coasters and tea-towels and cushion covers
I launched my website and have reached the regional finals of the rural business awards.
This Christmas I released some Christmas cards and some calendars and my work has travelled around the world, my work has been bought by customers in America, Australia, Germany and Europe. I am at a very exciting point in my career and really hope to expand and push the business forward this year.
Thank you for reading my first blog, I hope to share with you snippets from my business and also our family life.
Katrin
