Meet Kathie Korth

We were lucky to catch up with Kathie Korth recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kathie, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

I’m still here. I’m going to be 81 on May 23, I had breast cancer which metastasized into bone cancer in my spine, and almost every day presents a new problem I have to deal with (or to ignore as long as I can, to be honest) and I refuse to give in. It is what it is, a time-worn saying but so true.
I work to solve the problem, as best I can. Sometimes it takes awhile and the outcome is not always favorable, but I’m very stubborn. I’m limited in what I can do at times – I was 5’7 and now I’m 5’2.5 so I have to reach a little higher or find another solution (or let my husband do it).

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

I’ve always love creating things: sewing my own doll dresses, then my own clothes, then my own prom dresses, then a wedding dress for a friend, then lots of blouses for me after I was married, then baby and toddler clothes for my kids, then doll dresses for my daughter, then toys for my kids, and on and on……. I was also knitting and crocheting and doing crewel work and embroidery and making Christmas ornaments and felted purses for sale, and on and on…….

Now I’m making jewelry and weird shadowboxes, which I’ve sold at craft shows and on commission in 16 stores locally here in the Milwaukee area and around the state of Wisconsin.. My items are unique and I’m always trying something new. I love working with all the different colors and supplies that go into my work, and am happiest when I’m in my studio, which will probably end up sinking into the basement at some point, from the weight of all my beads and supplies!

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?

I learned almost everything from books, and have a large library of used books to page through for ideas. So I would suggest laying the foundation for your art, no matter what form it takes, by reading books or online browsing, or visiting craft fairs to get ideas for what you’d like to create.

Visit Craft or art supply stores to get an idea of all the things you’d need or just want, and the cost. Investigate online stores and be prepared to get lost in all the goodies.

Try things out, with no pressure to please or to sell to others. Time to have fun, learn new skills, find out what suits you best. When you feel you’re ready, search the internet for small local craft markets or fairs, and apply for a space. Browse Pinterest or Google or ask crafty friends what you’ll need besides a tent. Craft people and artists are some of the nicest, most helpful people I know!

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

Since I’m 81, with bone cancer (but I’ve been stable for five years!) so I think that’s a pretty relevant question for my situation.

I want to keep on making jewelry and shadowboxes for as long as I possibly can, and then sell or give away as much of my art and supplies as I possibly can. First, I want to give my two kids tons and tons of it, because they are artists, too.

I want to start my next journey holding my husband’s hand, as I did when we were 15,

Contact Info:

• Instagram: kathie_korth
• Facebook: kathie.korth

Image Credits

Kathie Korth