Meet Catie Crookshank

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

Catie, so great to have you with us today. There are so many topics we want to ask you about, but perhaps the one we can start with is burnout. How have you overcome or avoided burnout?

For artists, this is so hard. I truly believe that artists have to be more intune with their body than people in other professions. We use not only our bodies and brains but our souls too. It’s important for everyone to take breaks as their body and mind tells them, otherwise you can end up in a severe burn out. The body is so good at giving you clues but we have such a hard time hearing them. Not to mention, our society in the USA values hard work to the point of breaking and having a side hustle is expected. Living is getting harder because people think that resting is laziness.
As an artist, I’ve gone through a few burnout periods, especially after the Holiday season. Not to mention being a gifted kid in grade school, who now doesn’t really want to do anything. I make sure to take it easy in January. I really have to listen to my body and mind and make sure if I’m feeling down, depressed, or just tired, I stop. I can’t think about creating if all I hear in my head is how tired I am or how much everything sucks.
On the flip side, continuing to create is a great way to mitigate burnout. I like to work on my other creative hobbies, like crochet, painting, and sewing, instead of jewelry to get my creative juices flowing. Immersing myself in art in other forms gives me inspiration to keep going. I like to just play with my jewelry and make something for myself. This lessens the pressure of creating for profit and I don’t have to meet the expectation of others. And as so many artists say, we need bad art too because it means self expression and feelings have been released.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am the owner and creator of Catie Curran Designs, where I make beetle wing, bug inspired, and whatever I feel like jewelry. I ethically source real beetle wings from a farm in Thailand. Most of the other bugs in my collection are those I have found in my home or around my city, like ladybugs that came in from my office window and June and Japanese beetles from my garden. All of the bugs are already deceased before I use them in my jewelry. My brand ethos is to bring the beauty of beetles to the world through jewelry.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Perseverance, positivity, and flexibility are the top three qualities that make me successful.
Which means that:
1. Any work on my business is growth, no matter how small.
2. Failing is how you learn.
3. And not letting the haters get me down because that just means they are jealous of my success.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

I am currently going through a divorce and I have a small child. The hardest part of it all was leaving and realizing that I was in a dangerous situation and had to get myself and my son out. That was in 2023 and since then (and honestly before that) I’ve dealt with severe anxiety and depression. Getting myself out was the first step. Seeking help for my struggles was the next, much larger, step.
Becoming a single mom has been really rough on me. I’ve recently had a major career change so that I can support myself and my son. I’m not done making jewelry in the slightest!
I think focusing on my new, smaller family is the most important but that also includes continuing to make jewelry for my own mental health. An artist has to make art!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Catiecurrandesigns.com
• Instagram: @catiecurrandesigns