Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cathie Muschany. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cathie, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I first began drawing when I was 13, laid up in a Florida hospital on vacation with apendicitis, drawing pelicans and palm trees with a pad and pencil the occupational therapists brought me. When I was released from the hospital, stranded in the condo “taking it easy,” my parents bought me some paints and I copied all the paintings that were on the walls in the apartment. I was hooked from that time! But it was my first sales at the local mall art shows when I was in high school that ignited the desire to pursue a creative path. This was in the days before I had any idea you could make prints of your artwork. I remember I sold two paintings; a giraffe drinking water and a panda eating a bamboo shoot. As I sold them, another person expressed disappointment because she had wanted to buy them. So I went into production and painted many MANY giraffes drinking water and pandas eating bamboo! The feeling of connecting with a stranger with my art as a conduit was amazing. I’ve been a “creative” ever since, although my path of being a professional artist has been a bit winding over the years and did have a small (35 years..) hiatus.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve only been a professional artist (again!) since 2020. (Yeah, I’m one of thoooossse people…), but I did have a time in my young life where I worked as a professional artist. My first serious encounter with “real” art training was in high school. Having moved on from drawing pelicans and copying paintings in condos, I pretty much drew every chance I could get and when I was 16 the Kansas City Art Institute put a call out for all the local high schools to send one of their students to a 15 week, Saturday art training. I was chosen from my high school and was put into the drawing and painting class. I envisioned painting rustic barns and flowers and still life. When I arrived for my first class, my very naive 16 year old self walked into what was to be 15 Saturdays of figure drawing with both male and female. I gulped and then put on my big girl paintings smock and jumped in. When I brought my art home, my parents got glassy eyed, then gave each other a look and told me how great that naked man looked. After that experience, my mom, who was keen to have me paint people with their clothes on, enrolled me in a portraiture class with renowned portrait artist, Harry Fredman. I loved painting portraits and by word of mouth I painted portraits on commission from about 1980-86.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As I mentioned, I didn’t do any kind of fine art from 1986 to 2020. I got married and didn’t have the confidence that I could make a living as an artist, so I quit cold turkey (which doesn’t sound very resilient, but keep reading!). Even when I lived in Hawaii for 7 years (a place BEGGING to be painted over and over..) I was too busy raising a family and making a living with a “real job” (which I loved. I taught Japanese language for almost 30 years). But I did keep myself in a creative space, learning traditional hula, scrapbooking, heading up the school parties craft projects, and even coloring in coloring books when that craze came along. I always knew that I would return to painting someday “after I retired.” When the pandemic came along and my work life ground to almost a halt, I took out my 25 year old, craft watercolor set (which I had bought and never used) and started attending “YouTube University.” I stumbled upon a wonderful mentor, who taught drawing and watercolor AND the marketing of your art, all through the internet and zoom. Through the encouragement of family, friends, and most importantly this teacher, I set about entering the art world again. This time I was armed with the information and latest tools to create a successful business. I used social media, word of mouth, and even created a website to jump start my new (again) art career. I then began entering indoor art fairs and two years later purchased some great, used tents and other tools of an outdoor show and had my first, successful outdoor show at the beginning of this month. So, all this to say that if you’re well along your life’s journey but never allowed yourself to believe you could actually live as an artist, I’m hear to tell you that you can. And its a lot easier than painting scores of giraffes and pandas! (Some years ago, I actually found one of my old pandas in a garage sale. For 50 cents. And yes, I did buy it!)

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding thing about being an artist is connecting to someone on an emotional level through my art. I think every person has gifts for making the world a kinder, more loving place. It doesn’t have to be through monumental acts either. Small acts of kindness and small doses of joy, gratitude and connection all add up in the end. I gravitate toward nature and the natural world and PEOPLE, (I intend to focus on returning to portraits in the coming new year.) because they are all so inspiring and miraculous. My “slogan” for my art business is “I aspire to create art that stirs the heart.” When someone is delighted or stirred or moved in any way from experiencing my art, THAT is what is most rewarding to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: Cathiepuapaintings.com
• Instagram: Cathiepuapaintings
• Facebook: CathiePua Paintings

Image Credits
Roisin Cuskeran, Jill Meinert, Cathie Muschany