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

Katie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I moved to Chicago in 2015, I started thinking about my artwork as more of a career than a hobby because it seemed possible in Chicago. I received a BFA in Fine Arts and Humanity at the University Of Nebraska at Kearney in 2008 and just had the traditional industry jobs that came with the territory of a humanities degree. I was never a 9-5 or corporate person and didn’t care what job I had as long as I could focus on my paintings. Right away in Chicago my artwork was being well perceived and I was showing at coffee shops and cafes throughout Chicago and it just snowballed into group shows and eventually solo shows. I started taking online courses in business and reading books about art and business and gallery representation. A lot of what I have learned about “the art business” was from trial and error. I thought about how to consistently make money from my art throughout the year and came up with a simplified outline for commissions and how to work with people who didn’t know how to talk about art and work with them to create a mutual piece that was what they had in mind but also stayed true to my style. In 2018 I matched my yearly income with my art to my full time job and at that very moment I knew that I could do it! It takes a lot of devotion and self discipline to be a professional artist but it’s worth it to be able to make a living from something you love and are passionate about.

Katie , 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?

I have always been interested in art. I started taking art lessons when I was nine and continued until I was fourteen. I started out drawing wildlife and eventually took up watercolor and continued to practice wildlife with an abstract twist by eliminating details. I was fascinated in abstract art and how you can take away from the realistic element of an object and replace it with colors and movement, manipulating the viewer’s perception and yet allowing them to create their own concept of the object.

I received my bachelors in Fine Arts and Humanity at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. It was there, I came up with my own style of painting by mixing water with acrylic and experimenting with different ratios of water to paint. I moved to South Korea shortly after I graduated and continued my art through live paintings and various exhibits in art and music venues. I was becoming less restrictive with the water enabling it to do its own thing and adding a natural element to my pieces. I moved to Chicago in 2015 and started showing in coffee shops and eventually galleries showcasing the continuous changes my style has evolved from as well as the free-flowing technique I have honed throughout the years.

I am most proud of the two large murals I have in 71 South Wacker, downtown Chicago. I worked with Kevin Barry Fine Arts Associate to create two 10′ x 26′ murals and I never thought I would be able to create something at the scale for such a large company. Knowing that people want your work in their office or homes is such a wonderful feeling. I am also proud of all the places I’ve been able to go because of my art and the people I have met along the way. I love how art can change your mood or evoke emotions or feeling just by looking at it. I like to create this for people and also for myself and that is why I focus a lot on commissions because I think having a work of art in your home that you helped and are a part of just makes it that much better!

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

I think some people struggle to understand how much work artist put in. I think there is a huge misconception that artists are flighty and flaky and don’t want to conform to societal norms of corporate work because they are lazy. It’s quite the opposite, as a person who wants to make a living off their work I had to start from nothing and build it up by myself and with the support of friends and family. People will constantly say what I do is just a hobby and it’s frustrating because they don’t see the potential that I see in myself. I feel like I have to constantly prove myself to people and no matter what I do or how successful I become you will always have those people that look down on you because you don’t have health insurance or other benefits of a “normal” job and I have learned that, that is the core of what makes you “successful” in a Midwesterner’s mind.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew the importance of the business side of art while I was in college. I feel I would be further along in my career if I had taken business classes earlier. As a creative, you sometimes tend to get lost in the creative part and focus all your energy on creating. I have found some great books that tie in art and business together and also the artist community in Chicago is amazing! There are so many artist in different stages of their career that are more than happy to help out a fellow artist. another resource that I wish I found earlier is The Chicago Artists Coalition. They have a great website that has events, residencies, and resources for artist!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.katiemeuser.com
• Instagram: @klmeser
• Linkedin: Katie Meuser

Image Credits
The photo of my is by Amy Gonzalez, the rest are by me