We recently connected with Caroline Brown and have shared our conversation below.
Caroline, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?
Back in 2015, it was the fall of my senior year of college, and it seemed like everyone around me was getting job offers already. Meanwhile, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and I was feeling increasingly stressed.
I had wanted to be a writer since I was in second grade, and I had studied English Literature at college, not with any specific intention in mind but because I loved books. While other friends had clear visions for their future, I just wanted to be a storyteller — and there weren’t really any entry-level job openings for that (at least, that I knew of at the time). I had also always loved to draw, and I would create cute illustrations for friends and family members and draw little comics. But I had never known any working artists, so I hadn’t even considered it as something that I could do for a living. I toyed with the idea of being a lawyer, as it seemed a sensible thing to do for someone who loved writing, proofreading, and helping others, but something about it just didn’t click when I talked to actual lawyers about their work.
One dreary day (or a day made dreary by my miserable attitude at the time), my dad recommended I listen to the Tim Ferriss Show podcast episode where he interviews the filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. (If you’re unfamiliar, Robert Rodriguez is the creator of Machete and Spy Kids.) In the interview, Robert shared that he started drawing comics in college, and I thought, “Hey! I like to make comics, maybe that’s something I could do.” So I started to draw comics for some of my college’s online publications and for other online publications that I enjoyed reading. I also began to draw couple portraits for friends to build up my portfolio.
Once I had done several couple portraits, I received interest from friends of friends and started to get my first paying commissions! It felt incredible that people loved my work and trusted me with special gifts for their loved ones. That’s still something I feel to this day: Honored that people trust me with their precious moments.
This whole “making money as an artist” thing has taken many small steps over time. If I look back even a few years ago, I can see how much my technique has developed and how much my own confidence in myself as an artist has built over time. Those things, along with the wonderful people I’ve met along my artistic journey, have helped me to expand my offerings and to believe in myself enough to reach out to new clients and try for opportunities I couldn’t have even conceived of when I first started!
Now, I still take commissions, but I also paint murals, work with clients on illustration and graphic design projects, including books, and have my own Etsy shop where I sell my own creations. If I could offer any advice to other emerging artists, I would say just keep going! Reach out to people that you would love to work with, create that thing that’s nibbling at the back of your skull, start with your network and connections and see what you can grow! Creating anything meaningful is like farming; you have to plant the seeds and tend them over time. Commit to the process, instead of a certain outcome.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name’s Caroline Josephine Brown, but friends call me CJ. My business is called CJ in Wonderland, and I create murals and illustrations for clients. My work has included murals, logo design, merchandise illustration (t-shirts, stickers, postcards, etc.), illustrated maps, poster design, book illustrations, wedding invitations, portraits (couple, family, pet, house), and more!
CJ in Wonderland is all about finding the extraordinary in the every day. Inspired by magical realism, my watercolors and digital illustrations showcase enchanting, everyday moments that tell a story and leave you wondering. I’m a self-taught artist working in watercolor, colored ink, pen and ink, and digital. When I’m not making art, I enjoy surfing, climbing, doing yoga, and reading.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I think art is constantly helping me unlearn old habits. One of the mindsets that it’s really helped me with is perfectionism. I used to think perfectionism was a good thing. In the past, I thought it meant that I had a certain set of standards that I adhered to. But now I realize that it’s actually a really limiting mentality that can keep you from trying things or putting yourself out there. A friend once told me that you shouldn’t let “perfect be the enemy of good,” and I think that’s really what art making is about. I once heard an animator say that he’s constantly trying to cover up mistakes in his work, and I realize now that that’s what creative problem solving is. I often make something, especially while watercoloring, that’s different than I expected it to turn out, and I have to work with it as it is. It’s a great way to work your mind and actually create something better than you expected because you’re not holding onto a specific belief of how things “should” be. It’s also a good thing to learn in life: You often have to work with things as they are, rather than as you’d like them to be.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Oh yes! Some of my influences include podcasts — the Creative Pep Talk with Andy J. Pizza, the Tim Ferriss Show, and the Illustration Department — and books, such as Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Unleash the Power Within by Tony Robbins, and the Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cjinwonderland.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cjinwonderland/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-brown-93a68683/
Image Credits
CJ in Wonderland, LLC