Meet Catie Menke

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Catie Menke. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Catie below.

Catie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I found my purpose by following the things that brought me joy and exploring multiple interests. I started out with a dance career, moving across the country and believing I could make it. Then, I created a networking group centered around bringing women together, which eventually transformed into an online community blog focused on self-care and self-love. I followed my passion for art into graphic design and eventually fell into photography. Now, I’m happy to say I’m doing art and photography full-time.

Along the winding road, I searched for my purpose through self-reflection time, where I made space to ask myself, “What makes me feel good?” One other way I cultivate my path is getting into rooms where I know the least and acting like a sponge to soak up new skill sets.

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

I am a fashion and beauty photographer and a mixed media artist. I work mostly with models on building their portfolios and with brands on expressing their voice. I shoot for a style that’s edgy and bold, always experimenting with something unexpected. I also love doing behind-the-scenes videos at fashion shows. I’m looking forward to traveling more as part of my work with agencies and brands.

Something that’s really special to me is my art, where I take my original images and cut, layer, and paint them to make my mixed media designs. That’s what fuels my creativity. My art is available for purchase, and I can create original designs for brands. I also recently started to offer mentorship to other photographers.

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?

Creativity is number one for me. I set the mood for my creative space with a candle. Then, I do my best to make room to play! My biggest advice for nurturing creativity is to set aside time for it and respect that time. I have been doing an hour of art every day the whole year, and it’s really shaped me!

Courage is a skill that’s also been so impactful for me. I think about it like making eye contact with fear but not letting it take over. This process is all part of the journey, and practicing using your courage is the best way to grow it. Courage is best when you also surround yourself with a support system.

One other practice that’s impacted my art and my path has been self-awareness. Following my intuition and inner voice has been such a guiding constant for me. Know yourself well enough to be aware of what lights you up and continue to develop that through mindfulness, journaling, and gratitude.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

My daily art practice actually came from the book “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” by Elizabeth Gilbert. She talks about setting aside time to make your art, so I started to do an hour every day. It honed my creative voice and attracted the type of clientele I want to work with.

There was this other moment in the book that really impacted me talking about courage. There was a teacher talking to a student saying, “‘Do you have the courage? Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.’” And it made me want to say “yes” to my creative potential too.

One last nugget from the book was her idea that living a creative life is living a bigger life. Striving for that big, bold life full of curiosity and exploration inspires me to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.catiemenke.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catiemenke/
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/catiemenke/