Meet Caty Maxey

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

Hi CATY, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I was raised in Virginia, on a large farm my father’s family had had for generations. My father got up every morning at 4:30, made his breakfast and went out to tend to the animals and crops and endless chores. He never once slept in, as far as I knew.
My father did not complain through physical pain, bad weather, market prices, politics….. anything. It would never occur to him to think negatively or shirk his responsibilities to the farm or his family- there was just never a question. The work ethic was ingrained and he was a contented person.
When I think about the amount of energy expended on projects, whether it’s a film or personal art, it is all-consuming.
Multitasking can be it’s own art form! I don’t let myself think about rest, but I do still set daily goals and more often than not, I achieve what I meant to do.
The fires have thrown everything out of kilter, and no one can plan anything- for the first time, I am involved volunteering with a project that is meant to help people move forward from this epic disaster. We are just starting to organize, please go to keychainproject.org. These organizers have an incredible work ethic!

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?

The KeyChain Project is the brainchild of my good friend, the unstoppable Kate Sullivan. The idea is to set up drop sites at various sites, with a five gallon bucket and a sign asking anyone who has lost their house or apartment or business, to leave their old keys. Our volunteers will collect the keys and eventually use them to form some sort of tribute to the
people who have lost so much, including Kate and her husband Ed Verreaux, whose beautiful home was destroyed.
Kate’s resilience is beyond inspiring, and I hope this helps get word out before anyone discards their keys.

So much more on keychainproject.org

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?

Stick with it, and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

We are incredibly fortunate to have our home and our neighbors, but the fires have shaken us badly.
When the crisis was at its worst, and no one could do anything anywhere to help their people, I told myself I had to find a way to look forward.
Inspired by my husband John, who is the strongest person I have ever known- he deals with so many complicated issues every day, including beyond a huge supporter of my art and career.
John’s strength and courage have helped me come to terms with our reality, and I am determined to not only stay, but dig in.
I mean that quite literally- I am planting a garden, for the first time since I eft the farm.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://catymaxey.com
• Instagram: @catymaxeyart

Image Credits

Caty Maxey