Life & Work with Carrie Cantwell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carrie Cantwell.

Hi Carrie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Before becoming a full-time artist and building my art brand, I spent 16 years as a graphic designer in the film and television industry, creating everything from ​logos and signage ​to packaging ​and props for major motion pictures and award-winning TV shows. During that time, I was fortunate to be nominated for an Art Directors Guild Award, but I eventually realized I wanted to create work that reflected my own voice instead of someone else’s vision.

That led me to illustration and surface pattern design, where I found my niche creating whimsical, cat-filled artwork with plenty of puns and personality. Today, I license my art to companies around the world, create collections for products ranging from stationery to home décor, and run my own online shop​s.

Alongside my art business, I also love teaching other artists. I’m a Skillshare Top Teacher, where I help artists build sustainable creative businesses, and I co-host the podcast Two Cranky Creatives, which reached the Top 10 in its Apple Podcasts category for nine consecutive weeks.

Education has always been important to me, and I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design, a Bachelor of Arts in English, and a Master’s Certification in Project Management. Looking back, every step, from film and TV to teaching to licensing, has contributed to the creative business I have today.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not! Like most creative careers, mine has been full of pivots and a lot of learning as I went.

Leaving a stable career in film and television to build my own art business was a leap of faith. I had to learn an entirely new industry, from licensing and manufacturing to marketing, teaching, and running a business. There isn’t really a roadmap for becoming an art brand, so much of it has been trial and error.

One of the biggest lessons has been realizing that creating great art is only part of the job. Building relationships, understanding what clients need, and being willing to adapt my work for different products and markets has been just as important. I’ve also learned not to get too attached to any one opportunity. Some of my favorite pieces have never been licensed, while other illustrations I almost didn’t create have become bestsellers.

Every challenge has made me a better artist and business owner. Looking back, I’m grateful for all the detours because they’ve shaped the career I have today.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an award-winning art brand. As an illustrator, surface pattern designer and licensing artist, I create whimsical artwork filled with clever details, playful storytelling, and, more often than not, cats. My brand is built around the idea of “artwork with quirk,” creating illustrations that make people smile and products that people want to keep around long after the occasion has passed.

I specialize in art licensing, partnering with manufacturers and retailers to develop artwork for everything from greeting cards and stationery to home décor, gifts, fabric, and apparel. I also teach artists how to build sustainable creative businesses through my online classes, podcast, and educational resources.

What I’m most proud of is building a career that’s both creatively fulfilling and genuinely helpful to others. I love creating art that brings joy, but I also love sharing what I’ve learned with other artists so they can build successful businesses of their own.

I think what sets me apart is my combination of creative and commercial experience. Before becoming an art licensing artist, I spent 16 years designing for film and television, where I learned how to create artwork with a specific audience and purpose in mind. That experience has made me a collaborative licensing partner who enjoys adapting artwork to fit a client’s products and vision while still maintaining a distinctive style. My work is playful, polished, and intentionally designed to succeed in the marketplace while never losing its sense of fun.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
(1) Instead of chasing your customers, create art that naturally draws your ideal customers and clients to you. If you create it, they will come, you just have to be willing to put yourself out there on social media and share. If you don’t share your art widely, no one can find you.

(2) Find your community. Being an artist can feel really isolating, and having other artists in your corner — people who get it — changes everything.

For me, it’s never been about “networking” in the business-card sense. It’s about real friendships with people who champion your work and cheer you on, but who will also be honest with you. That honesty is huge. You need people you can bounce ideas off of who will lovingly tell you when something isn’t quite there yet — and then celebrate like crazy with you when it finally clicks.

And don’t get too hung up on finding one official mentor. Some of the best guidance I’ve gotten has come from peers — someone a few steps ahead of me in one thing, while I’m a few steps ahead in something else. Just show up for other artists the way you’d want them to show up for you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carriecantwell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriecantwellart
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarrieCantwellArt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriecantwell
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@carriecantwellart
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/carriecantwellart