Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerstin Rao
Kerstin, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
From the moment I could grip a crayon, my days were filled with drawing. As an introverted kid, I was more at ease facing paper than people. My childhood friends, therefore, were Beatrix Potter, Leonardo da Vinci, and E.H. Shepard, who illustrated a certain ‘silly old bear.’ The life of an illustrator — that was for me, I thought, so I left small-town Kentucky for Poughkeepsie, New York and majored in Studio Art at Vassar College. At graduation, I threw my belongings in the back of a friend’s truck and moved to Brooklyn Heights.
Going gallery to gallery in Manhattan, I discovered that my style of delicate lines and vibrant color was not in vogue. The work in favor was edgy and dark, layered with graffiti and cynicism. I found it bold and energizing, but knew it was not my voice.
So, a sculptor friend suggested I work in an elementary school. Unexpectedly, those kids captured my heart. To serve them well, I earned my Master’s in Special Education and stayed devoted to my students for 34 years. There are literally thousands of young adults I adore who made me laugh and made me think as I taught in New York, Minnesota, and Connecticut. Raising a daughter of my own fit naturally into my life as an educator.
My mission evolved to empower kids like me, the ones who didn’t easily ‘fit in,’ who were intellectually and creatively gifted, and maybe struggled just a bit with the life’s social demands. Our classroom became its own quirky community that celebrated exploration and expression.
I merrily marched this path until the abrupt and forced isolation of the 2020 pandemic lockdown. Suddenly, I was face-to-face with my unrealized childhood dreams.
I was serving others, but had I abandoned myself?
Women who grew up in my era were expected to set aside a significant part of their own wants and needs in order to serve others. Often this involved the noble work of raising children and supporting the family. What I know for certain is it takes daring and courage to step off this culturally expected path. It takes an extra dash of moxie to carve one’s own way, raise one’s voice, and build something uniquely one’s own.
From this pandemic soul-searching, I steered onto my new path as an artist and a business owner. With this newfound independence, I can harness my art, find my own audience, and support causes I believe in. My ‘Sunflower Resilience’ image now benefits Save the Children’s efforts in Ukraine. I created ‘Zinnia Bouquet’ to support my sister’s Zinnia Project, her private charity supporting blood cancer patients. And I’ve donated my products and time to countless local good causes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I studied world religions in college, I found the Buddhist notion of ‘Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind’ very intriguing, but also uncomfortably vulnerable. Who wants to be a beginner all the time?
In 2020, I made the big leap from teacher to artist-entrepreneur.
Every. Single. Bit. Was. New!
Here, in my late 50s, I was an absolute beginner again.
All my life, I’ve jumped in before I was ready. What once was foolish becomes an advantage when creating a business from scratch.
Drawing by drawing, I discovered that my work resonated with people.
When folks asked if I made greeting cards, I said ‘Yes!’ first, and then figured out how to do it. As my customers requested boxed sets, calendars, tea towels, and tote bags, I contacted local manufacturers, tested prototypes, and doubled down on learning the mechanics of pricing and marketing.
My head spun as I tried to rapidly learn about intellectual property, accounting, marketing, e-commerce, shipping, craft shows, wholesaling, and trade shows. Using my modest life savings as a teacher to fund it all, I got used to sleepless nights. The money part is still my biggest challenge; I know from networking with fellow creatives and business owners that I’m not alone.
Was I a Zen-style ‘beginner’ or was I just in over my head?
Both, actually — ha!
What helps is looking back at how much I’ve accomplished in four years…
In 2020, I began with just 4 greeting cards in my first show.
Today, in 2024, I hold 104 US Copyrights for my artwork, 2 Trademarks for my business names, and 1 US Patent for my original design of a unique, year-long calendar. Curious note: I read in the World Economic Forum that only 16% of design patents are held by women. Well, this sounds like a call to action, right friends?
I offer over 225 products and my Vivid Cottage line is sold in over 60 boutiques and museum shops in 18 states, plus one shop in Canada.
My proudest accomplishment happened after I showed at NY Now this past February. I’ve been commissioned by The Smithsonian to create two exclusive card designs which will appear in October in their Holiday 2024 catalog.
Growing up, our family’s favorite vacations were visits to the Smithsonian, which instilled in me a feeling of wonder for our vast world and a deep pride in the talents of my fellow Americans. My inner child is simply over the moon that my drawings will help support this beloved institution!
To have my artwork in the Smithsonian online shop is a way of honoring and serving my country. It also affirms the bold step I took in my late 50s to finally pursue my childhood dreams.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Each of us is evolving, and I am, too. Right now, I am known for farmer’s market bouquets in clear Mason jars, rendered in detailed, vibrant ink and colored pencil. I am unabashedly old-school and analog in my art-making.
My friend who inspired my line of floral drawings is Kristin Burrello (you can find her interview in Canvas Rebel, too!) Her stunning ‘Muddy Feet’ bouquets sell out early every Thursday at our Westport Farmers’ Market.
For each bouquet, I spend 30 hours capturing the lines and colors. I set up my wooden easel with an 18×24 paper, take a UniBall Micro Black pen in hand, and start the dance between my eyes and hand. It’s actually hilarious to see my head swivel rapidly back and forth in time lapse videos of my process.
Once I’ve completed the lines, I get my drawing professionally digitally scanned by Mark Bunger at ImageWorks, a family-run business that supports local artists (also featured in Canvas Rebel!)
Back home, out comes the box of 96 Prismacolor pencils. I often hold the tip of the pencil next to the stem or blossom I’m working on to test the color match. But I’m the creator here — if the drawing demands that I veer ‘off script’ so it comes alive, so be it!
Yes, I can picture Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly rolling her eyes and saying, ‘Florals. For Spring. How original…’ But the feeling that comes over me when I’m faced with a complex bouquet is a curiosity so keen that my heart beats faster.
Every drawing is a risk, every mark a discovery.
Looking more intently, the flowers become a master class in nature’s bounty. Each varietal has its own personality – some bold, some delicate. This makes the overall bouquet like an engaging piece of theater, with a cast of characters, some gloomy, some radiant, all contributing to a rich and fulfilling story.
Much like my awkward self as a child, my art is still not quite what galleries are looking for today. My work is not trendy. My bouquets are not even regarded as proper botanic illustration.
Here I am, once again, in a category of my own as a creative. It can feel lonely at times. Nevertheless, I tune in and express my heart, guided by curiosity and truth, and trust my instincts.
My art stakes its claim with energy, assertion, and wit, and it slyly refuses to stay in any lane.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Here are five excellent resources I turn to again and again:
1 – Nature. When I lose my way or feel discouraged, I take a walk outdoors and observe. Scandinavians call it ‘forest bathing.’ Nothing re-energizes my creativity like the sights, sounds, smells and sensations on a hike.
2 – Friends. It’s easy to get down on one’s self, especially when reaching for truly challenging goals. Connecting with friends, even with a quick call, can re-affirm that you are worthy and loved just for being you.
3 – Mentors. Here is where I’ll brag about just a few of the wonderful people, groups, books, and podcasts which have guided me as an entrepreneur and artist: the Women’s Business Development Council of Connecticut, the Greeting Card Association, Katie Hunt’s Proof to Product, Amy Porterfield, Denise Duffield-Thomas, Elizabeth Gilbert’s book ‘Big Magic’, Anne Lamott’s ‘Bird by Bird’, Julia Cameron’s ‘The Artist’s Way’, and several podcasts: Guy Raz’s ‘How I Built This’ and ‘The Great Creators’, Brené Brown’s ‘Unlocking Us’, Mike Birbiglia’s ‘Working It Out’, and Marc Maron’s ‘WTF’ podcasts. And for several decades, the legend herself, Oprah Winfrey, has inspired me with her intellect, wit, compassion, and leadership. I’m also grateful to the professionals I work with: tax accountant, business attorney, patent lawyer, trademark attorney, graphic designer, website developer, manufacturing partners, and the creatives I’ve met in local and international support groups. We truly are stronger together; people are remarkably willing to help as you grow.
4 – Family. My husband, Vijay, keeps things steady when I feel wobbly, sees the best in me when I’m feeling down, and has faith in me when I move in new directions. My sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth, offer encouragement and humor when I need it most. I keep a photo of my Mom, beaming and holding one of my cards, above my desk as a touchstone memory of her own talent, courage, and love. My daughter, Sofia, continues our family legacy with her own learning and creations and I am very proud of her.
5 – Journal. I have kept a journal since 1995 that is for my eyes only. It’s a place to be totally honest, to reflect, to complain, to celebrate, to dig deep into anything that interests me. In our hyper-connected and rather invasive online world, having a place that is completely and utterly yours and yours alone is a freeing and grounding gift.
Thank you for sharing this time with me! I wish you wonderful adventures on your own path in life!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vividcottage.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vividcottage/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vividcottage
- Youtube: @vividcottage
- Other: https://faire.com/direct/vividcottage
Image Credits
All photos by Kerstin Rao