Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cate Anevski. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Cate, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I do currently work full time as an artist, but it certainly wasn’t like that from day one. I started my business around the summer of 2005, when I graduated from college, but I didn’t work as a full time artist until 2015.
The biggest hurdle for me was just getting over the myth that there is no such thing as a full time career in the arts. I wish I’d had more confidence in myself from the beginning, but it was easy to let others’ worries and comments get in the way. Lots of creative people have fulfilling and successful careers, in many different ways, and the myth of the starving artist is completely false.
Other than that, I wish I had understood more of the options for creative businesses. I often felt like I was reinventing the wheel as a creative business owner, despite the fact that thriving business models existed that I could have used to model my own business.
In the end, though, I’m just grateful to have a career that I generally enjoy and that feels so right for me.
Cate, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am an artist and illustrator. I have built a business, called Bee’s Knees Industries, selling gift items, like stickers, greeting cards, and bookmarks, featuring my work. I got into the arts from a very young age, but I started this specific business model in my 20s and have refined it over the last two decades.
What sets me apart is the same thing that sets all artists apart: I have a unique view of the world that I’m able to share and communicate through my illustration. I love being able to show others my viewpoint of the world through my art.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
While I’m sure there are many things that society could do to support creatives, I feel that the biggest stumbling block for me has been how society fails to provide resources for people who don’t wish to be an employee of another business. The fact that benefits like healthcare or paid parental leave are tied to jobs keeps a lot of creative people tied to jobs that don’t serve them.
If society would simply provide basic necessities for all people, I think it would be pleasantly surprised by all of the contributions creative people could make once they were untethered from employers.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, this answer is two fold.
First, it is intensely rewarding being able to build a career where I get to share my perspective with the world and bring joy through my artwork. Art is at its core a form of communication, and I’m so grateful to have the privilege to enjoy a job where I get to communicate with so many people.
Second, I love being able to build a business that is helping be the change I want to see in the world. I’m able to run my business in a way that makes ecologically responsible choices and that treats its employees fairly and with dignity. This isn’t something I foresaw for myself when I decided to become an artist, but, as our world tends to be run by businesses, it’s rewarding being able to create a business that can hopefully make a positive impact on the world.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.BeesKneesIndustries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beeskneesindustries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeesKneesIndustries/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kneesofbees
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beeskneesindustries
Image Credits
Cate Anevski