We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kate Endle. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kate below.

Hi Kate, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I didn’t really “know”. Or, I always knew? I was drawing full faces with earrings, eyelashes and lips around 1.5 years old (I still have the drawings). Around 4 years old, thanks to my father’s collection of Playboy magazines, I was drawing nudes. So, I kinda sorta came out of the womb drawing. My parents recognized my skill and nurtured it, along with my school teachers. I was very lucky to have a team of cheerleaders early on. In high-school, my teacher’s designed my curriculum around art; I took math classes up to 10th grade and stopped taking physical education around that same time. The first four hours of my school day was art. Looking back, I’m not sure that was a great plan. I need math to run an art business! I grew up in Ohio, which has great art schools, and ended up earning my Bachelor’s degree in Illustration from The Columbus College of Art and Design, in Columbus, Ohio, which is primarily a commercial art school. I wanted to paint and draw for a living and I had nothing to say as a fine artist, but I had a giant love of 80s stickers, cool stationery, and Espirt clothing so creating pattern and fun color palettes was in my blood.

Kate, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! My name is Kate Endle and I am an Illustrator living in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Thank you for taking the time to read a bit about me. I’ve been illustrating professionally for over 35 years. I write and illustrate children’s books. I work in two styles-mixed media collage with hand painted and printed papers and painting on wood with acryla gouache. I license my images for paper product and home decor companies-past clients include American Greetings, Crate & Barrel, Hallmark, Klutz, Madison Park Greetings, and Papyrus. I’m most widely known for my collaboration with children’s musician, Caspar Babypants, who is my husband. I illustrated his 19 album covers, along with writing and illustrating books for children. I’m most proud of my collaboration with him. His REAL name is Chris Ballew and he is the three time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter for 90s rock band The Presidents of the United States of America. When we started dating he would hang with me while I was working on a children’s book. Occasionally, we would wander over to my drawing table and say, “I can make the music version of your art.” Great! I can do your album art. Very early into our relationship I joined The Presidents on a tour selling their merchandise, and Chris wrote the first Caspar Babypants album in three weeks. He said he had 10 albums in him, but he created 19. I’m proud of him, too. We help ease the stress of new parents and bring an important ray of sunshine into what can be a very stressful time in the process of raising a child. I’m also REALLY proud of the fact that I can support myself making and selling my art. Several days a week you can find me selling my wares at the famed and historic Pike Plave Market in downtown Seattle, Washington. Pike Place Market is one of the oldest and largest handmade craft markets in the world!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

GREAT QUESTION! I beg of you, People Who Buy Things, PLEASE SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES!! There’s a time and place for places like Amazon and Target, I get it. However, artists and creators are responsible for creating culture-TRUE CULTURE. We want to make you happy. We want to give you something special. We LOVE YOU and we want you TO LOVE US! It’s an absolutely incredible time to be a creative. There’s so many platforms to sell art-social media, cafés, gift shops, galleries and craft and farmers markets are all over the place. AI is terrifying, but I think it will create a deep love and need for the handmade.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think it’s important for noncreatives to understand that when an artist is selling their art, at a gallery or craft show, they’re selling and sharing their soul. It’s like turning yourself inside out and letting the world see you and touch your most raw parts. We’re a sensitive bunch. We don’t like it when you take photos of our work without asking. We don’t like when you set your coffee on our display table while yakking on your cellphone. Some artists are socially awkward and might not have great communication skills so tread lightly. I LOVE my customers and clients. I LOVE collaboration. I LOVE talking to people from all over the world about my art and what draws them to my art. Every art sale I make is as thrilling as the very first one. I want people to know that I am supremely grateful for allowing me to have this job, which is a great privilege.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://KateEndle.com
• Instagram: @kateendleillustration (business) and @kate_endle personal
• Linkedin: Kate Endle

Image Credits

All photos and artwork by Kate Endle