Meet Caitlin B Alexander

We were lucky to catch up with Caitlin B Alexander recently and have shared our conversation below.

Caitlin, we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
As a self-employed freelancing illustrator/designer with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I learned pretty quickly that I had to find a balance with my work and my mental health or neither were going to be in good shape. Overstuffing my schedule in the past just caused me to panic about being able to achieve it all– panic about letting people down, about ruining my reputation as a freelancer that always delivered, not just on time, but early, high quality work. I always managed to make it happen, exceed deadlines and show up for events, but even after proving it to myself time and time again, the panic never left. I could talk myself out of believing I would fail logically, but my body still held the anxiety physically. I had a lot of health issues crop up simultaneously that made me realize that it isn’t always “mind over matter.” To be more functional, just generally, I needed to find ways to practice self-care.

We live in a culture where balance is often discussed but not well-respected in the context of work, so it was hard to not feel that asking for boundaries was somehow a sign of laziness or unworthiness, especially in a field of self-employment. An agent said loathsome things to me about artists that didn’t want to devote their entire lives to work, deciding they were failures if they didn’t achieve the most prestigious jobs in the field– losers if they did smaller-scale work. He told me to sleep less, to take under-paying jobs to “pay my dues” and said it would be delusional to consider myself an illustrator if I did anything less. Needless to say, he wasn’t my agent for long, but he represented a mindset that I just couldn’t subscribe to.

I have set work day and work hour boundaries and I simply don’t allow a client to tell me I must do otherwise. I outline the scope of the project immediately out of the gate, and let them know that anything additional will be paid for. I tell them how long it will take and don’t accept jobs with unrealistic turnaround dates. I’m okay with saying no. I found a platform that provides consistent work but allows me to run my business the way I prefer. Maybe it’s a smaller freelance career than the agent would have respected, but it’s one that brings balance, joy and just the right amount of challenge to my life.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Right now, the majority of my illustration and design work comes from self-publishing authors. Through the platform Reedsy, these authors find me and I help bring their passion projects to life. I love how much more personalized and intimate the experience is for both the author and myself, rather than working through disconnected layers of a publishing house. I’ve really enjoyed the time that I’ve spent with these folks, and it’s very rewarding when they contact me about finally having a print copy of their book in-hand. Their happiness at seeing the cover fully realized is one of the greatest joys about my career.

I also create illustrations that I sell as prints and products in shops and online. Recently, I moved from Austin, TX to Manitou Springs, CO, and while I you can still purchase my work in Paper Work on South Congress in Austin, I’m looking to also find the right fit here, locally. In the meantime, you can find prints, stickers, pennants, t-shirts, postcards and more at cbaillustration-lovelylittlethings.com

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?
Besides the obvious need for artistic skill, I’d say that the three keys to being a freelance illustrator are stubbornness, becoming your own client, and a willingness to learn the business side of things.

The only reason I’ve been able to make this career work for myself is that I’m stubborn about making it work. I didn’t see myself doing anything else– this was it. I was honestly even a little petulant about working other types of jobs. If you’re going to be petulant about it, then you have to be clever, too. And for this to be it, I had to make it happen, one way or another. Maybe don’t always look at the most obvious path and use those “creative problem-solving” skills that are needed for illustration regardless–apply them also to finding ways to make money from the work. Keep searching for opportunities, and don’t let yourself dwell on the rejections. My rule of thumb is that I send out submissions, and promptly forget about them, so if I hear anything back, it’s just a nice surprise. Look for companies, websites and platforms that need or promote illustration that may not be as well-known. My first step into freelancing was leaving a nannying job for two part-time jobs: one in a screen-printing shop, and one remotely creating graphic tees for school organizations. Both of these jobs weren’t exactly what I wanted to do, but they gave me networking opportunities, as well as enough space and time to still have creative energy for those self-motivated projects, which leads me to Key Number Two.

Before work picks up, before you have clients, it’s imperative to continue illustrating as if you do. The first, and hardest step to that is finding a day job that has the flexibility to give you space for creative pursuits outside of work. This is usually where most illustrators understandably struggle, feeling far too exhausted to make continued, consistent art efforts. I’ve found that living with a roommate or partner to keep living costs a little bit lower, and making sure those day jobs are loosely related to your desired career really help a lot with this issue. What kept me illustrating most of all though was being a part of an Illustration Collective. After college, a group of fellow graduates and I created a group with illustration prompts every three weeks. The goal was to behave professionally, as if the group was our client. We had critiques and obligations (with consequences for not following through) and even sometimes actual real-life networking incentives. It was also motivating to maintain that creative community. For years, most of my portfolio came from this group. If you can find an existing one, join that. If you have other illustrators in your life, create one. Make sure it’s run by someone who will keep it up, send reminders and enforce the consequences and encourage people to engage. And if the group isn’t an option but you have the self-motivation, then be your own client and create/keep deadlines that are just as rigid as they would be for a real job.

Lastly, as much as creatives don’t want to worry about the business end of things, that’s part of the game. Unless you find an in-house job, you’re going to be your own boss even in the boring, bad ways, too. You have to learn how to negotiate contracts, set work boundaries, make quotes, and pay taxes. You have to network and schedule and plan. I’d argue this part of the job is at least 50% or more of what I do as a freelance illustrator. We don’t just get to sit around and draw all day. If that’s a dealbreaker, then admit it to yourself early! If you want to learn, there are a lot of helpful tools online, including contract templates and pricing guidelines. You won’t be perfect at first and that’s okay. The only way to get better is through trying.

How would you describe your ideal client?
I love working with people who find a balance of knowing what they want, but also having the flexibility to listen to professional advice. I think the most important thing a client can do for their freelancer is to respect that they are an expert in the field they’re working in, and remembering that’s why they’ve hired them!

Usually the best thing a client can do is think about what they want for the project, collect visuals that represent the subject, style and color well, and then articulate what they’re liking about those details, so the artist can be on the same page. Communication is key! Why don’t you like that font, specifically? What about that cover speaks to you? What are your favorite things about your artist’s portfolio, that you want to see reflected in your project?

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,