Meet Katlyn Dorriety

We were lucky to catch up with Katlyn Dorriety recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Katlyn , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I’ve adapted to some challenging life experiences over the years and pushed through mental illness. Don’t get me wrong I still continue to fight everyday. I think it gets easier, but I found you can definitely fall back a few steps or even a full flight of stairs when you least expect it.
I think all the challenges faced, made me who I am. I don’t say “I wish that didn’t happen to me” anymore, it’s more of, “that has created who I am today”…and I’m an Unique, amazing, strong individual. It used to be hard to say or even believe that. I have adapted to obstacles being put in my path and believed in myself to overcome them.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an visual artist with many moving parts. I can’t help but to dabble in everything creative outlet, choosing just one specific niche is not my style. Blame it on my adhd or maybe it’s just who I am. I’m always going to be an artist, creating all types of works of art. I create what’s interesting in that moment, what’s on my mind, or in my heart at that time. My recent projects have been paintings about mental health awareness and appreciating the female form. I love making food art. I recently got into making fake layered cakes! I’m no baker, so this felt like a step in scratching that “cake decorating” itch! I paint murals, full body paint and facepaint, host art parties for kids, adults, and host art events with art projects for the family to enjoy. I do live art entertainment that can be painting a canvas, street chalk art, small murals, quick gestural portraits, and more.
I think I have a unique business because I offer a wide variety of art options and I can customize art party projects to themes. I have an art truck, the Creative Cruiser where I bring it to parties and events. Renovated inside to be a mini art studio on wheels. I keep coming up with different mobile options. When the world starts to move forward and change, I make sure to keep up with new ideas.
I live in a beachy area, most art around here suits the tourism industry. Mine does not. I pride myself in being different. With that I hope to find my viewers in different states. I hope to travel to different areas and push my style art.
I’m in the works of offering airbrushing for events, balloon twisting, and stilt walking! I have already put “Beautification stations” in the works as party/event offerings. I’m always looking for new clients for murals, live art, and collaborating with musicians/musical events.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

College, teaching in a public school, and jumping into the unknown give me my important skills/areas of knowledge.
I originally went to college and got my BA to teach art in school. I think having that knowledge and then teaching 3 years in the middle school gave me a different perspective. I was able to start a program that didn’t exist, create advance classes, form after school clubs, and get out into the community with my kids. I found some challenging dilemmas in the public school system that changed my focus to push into my own business. I knew what I wanted to put my energy into because of that. I had no idea how to start or run a business, this pushed me to research, put myself outside my comfort zone, and find my passion.
My advice is to “be brave”. Try new things. If it doesn’t work, try to look at it in a different way. Follow your passions. We only have one life…enjoy the ride.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My Mental Health has been my biggest area of improvement.
Take the time to enjoy life. It’s okay to sit back and relax. You don’t have to be going 24/7. It was hard to take a min or a week to myself and not feel bad about it.
Loving myself for who I am, flaws and all. Knowing my worth in both business and relationships.
Setting boundaries, whether it be in relationships or business. Not settling.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.uniquelyclever.com and www.aunaturelartistry.com
• Instagram: Artbykatlyndorriety
• Facebook: Uniquelyclever
• Other: @Aunaturelartistry (insta/fb)
  @Uniquelyclever (insta/fb)

Image Credits

Amy Meyer Photography