Meet Kat Evans

We were lucky to catch up with Kat Evans recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kat, 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 began my professional art career 17 years after graduating from art school. Leaving art school, I was filled with confidence and eager to dive into the art world. However, after sending out over 100 applications for well-paid art-related jobs without receiving a single reply, I quickly realised that I need to find a job—any job would do for now. At that time, I had met my future husband, and we were eager to buy a house together. So, I took a position as a receptionist at a travel company in London. By the age of 21, we had secured a mortgage and stepped onto the property ladder, which felt fantastic.

As life unfolded, we welcomed three beautiful children, now aged 11, 15, and 17. Committed to being present for my children, I chose to stay home during their early years. Financially, we were in a good position, allowing me to focus on motherhood. This led to numerous artistic projects at our dining room table, where I rediscovered my creative self alongside my children.

When my youngest turned four, an overwhelming urge to create art surged within me. I expressed my desire to my husband, stating that I was ready to pursue my long-held dream of becoming a professional artist. His unwavering support granted me the freedom to dive headfirst into my passion. There was no other option; I needed this. My husband understood that while I loved being a mum, my fulfilment lay in pursuing my art career.

I established an Instagram account to connect with other emerging artists. I quickly learned that building a community on social media was essential, leading me to create a page called The New Art Rebellion. Through this platform, I discovered an incredible creative community and organized ongoing monthly Instagram art exhibitions. Drawn to abstract art, I found myself producing an impressive number of artworks daily, sharing my creations, and feeling genuinely happy.

As I continued to ask, “What’s next?”—as every good artist should—I ventured into collage art. I set up another Instagram page to connect with collage artists and founded The International Collage Guild. This initiative has been an incredible experience, allowing me to reach out to talented collage artists and invite them to be part of a community, with the goal of encouraging, supporting, and inspiring one another.

For over five years, I have managed all three Instagram accounts, and I take great pride in what I have achieved in such a short span. However, despite my busyness—running three Instagram accounts, working as a professional artist, conducting workshops, and exhibiting my art globally—I still felt something was missing. However juggling my career with the demands of being a full-time mum and now homeschooling two teenage daughters who had withdrawn from school due to anxiety was very overwhelming.

In this tumultuous environment, I was determined to ensure my creative daughters could at least pursue an art GCSE. However, I discovered there were no home education options for this qualification, which was incredibly frustrating. After contacting a local college, I learned that my daughters would need GCSEs in Maths and English, along with a strong portfolio and evidence of art history to access an art-based course at age 16. We could manage that, I thought, but what about all the other homeschooled kids who were born to create but lacked guidance?

Motivated by this realization, I decided to transform my garden shed into a hub for fostering creativity and building art portfolios. Thus, The Art Shed was born. Now, children aged 10 to 18 visit The Art Shed for weekly portfolio-building sessions. I discovered the Arts Award qualifications, enabling me to help children earn official art qualifications—Bronze, equivalent to a GCSE grade D, and Silver, equivalent to an A.

For the past two years, I have been running these art sessions, and I can confidently say it has been the best decision of my life. I feel like I have finally found my purpose.

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

As an artist, making a decent income has sometimes been a struggle, but it was never my top priority. The mental health benefits of being an artist are what truly make it worthwhile for me. Over the past five years, I have managed to establish a steady income through memberships to my Instagram pages, workshops, art fairs, and the art sessions at The Art Shed. However, I sometimes sense that people expect the support provided by Instagram influencers to be a free resource. While there is an abundance of free support available on Instagram, the one-time enrollment fee of £25 for my services is more of a token of appreciation for the energy and precious time I invest into creating this resource.

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?

For me, making art, discussing art, and teaching art is my happy place. It provides a much-needed boost of serotonin. I have struggled with mental health for most of my life, and I’ve found that engaging in art is a powerful remedy. My advice for any artist starting out is to listen to your instincts, the voice deep within you, whether it’s a gentle whisper or, in my case, a loud cry. Follow that intuition, and everything else will fall into place. Don’t chase money or fame; they wont bring you true happiness. Instead, seek out community and build meaningful friendships.

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?

A question that has been weighing on my mind recently is whether I should rent a larger space to conduct the art sessions. The Art Shed in my back garden measures just 3 x 3 meters, and during most sessions, we fit seven of us in there. It can feel a bit cramped, but the kids don’t seem to mind; in fact, I think many of them enjoy its cozy vibe. On sunny days, we take advantage of the beautiful ancient woods and farmland just beyond my garden.

As interest in the art sessions continues to grow, with waiting lists for the next intake, I find myself longing for a dedicated headquarters for the international art communities I have founded, a place to gather and create together. While I feel honoured to be in this situation, I can’t ignore the gurgling of my gut, signalling that it’s time to consider the next steps.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kat_evans_artist/