2021 Year in Review
2021 has been one of the most fulfilling, happiest years of my life to date.
2021 was my most dormant year for travel since I became a digital nomad in 2016. I felt more drawn to settling down in one place than whipping around the world on a whim. I established a base in Mexico and spent the majority of my year in Playa del Carmen.
Spending so much time in one place gave me the security and time to lean into a routine, which led to one of my most productive years to date. I hosted my first artist retreat in France (which sold out), I launched my first immersive learning bootcamp (also sold out), and I partnered with some of the biggest brands in licensing.
I also had some pretty incredible opportunities to give back to my creative community this year: Enrollment for my online classes soared up to 375,000 students and my curriculum made it into Skillshare’s “Top 20 Classes of 2021” list. I spoke on various panels and webinars, and also hosted digital workshops throughout the year. My main stage talk at Adobe Max brought in 50,000 live attendees.
I’m proud of my professional developments, but what brought me the most joy this year was my personal life. I’m in my happiest, healthiest relationship. I’ve spent so much quality time with family and friends. I also feel more in-tune with myself and my needs than I ever have. The paths I’ve gone down this year have been supported by intention and love.
Let’s dive in.
Professional Milestones
Some big moments unfolded in my business this year: I hosted my first artist retreat, produced my very first online workshop, and partnered with brands I admire & respect for some pretty cool collaborations. Here are the achievements in my business that I’m most happy about.
Professional Milestone #1:
Hosting an Art Retreat in France
Three years ago, I was chatting with my good friend, Logan Elliott, about the unique challenges we’ve faced as creative business owners. During our convo, an idea formed: What if we hosted a future retreat that blended creativity with entrepreneurship?
Over the course of the last year, we polished that concept into an actual week-long event, all taking place in the French countryside.
In August, we finally saw everything come into fruition. We arrived in Saint-Priest Ligoure, a small village in France, with ten incredible artists who joined us to celebrate creativity, community, and learning how to infuse business skills into into the world of art and design.
Throughout our 7-day retreat, I continued to be blown away by our group. Everyone was incredibly generous in sharing their advice, struggles and successes. The result was a support network we were all able to lean into, plus a pool of collective knowledge that helped us all grow together. Cheers to helping each other rise and succeed!
I am so proud of all these women and cannot wait to see how their futures unfold! Creativity + business = a perfect opportunity to fuse passion with vocation, which unlocks such a tremendous sense of fulfillment.
Professional Milestone #2:
Speaking at the Adobe Max Conference
In October, I had the opportunity to speak on the main stage during Adobe Max, an annual conference hosted by Adobe, the global leader in creative software. Just like their 2020 conference, this year was also a digital event.
I teamed up with Skillshare to create a main stage presentation to announce the new Chroma Course I’m teaching in January 2022. (More on that below.) A couple weeks before the conference, I flew from Montenegro to New York to film my talk in a warehouse in Brooklyn. The Skillshare team edited the video masterfully, and I watched the final cut along with the 50,000 live attendees that tuned in for the talk.
Professional Milestone #3:
Launching my first Chroma Course
I’ve been teaching online classes since 2016 and the business model has always been the same:
I launch a class.
Students can watch my class at any time.
I earn passive income from evergreen content.
For the past few years, I’ve been considering adding a new scope to this model: How can I get more connected with my students without jeopardizing the passive income that my current model generates? The answer: combine pre-recorded lessons (passive) with live calls (active). With twenty two classes under my belt, I have a lot of content to pull from.
The focus of my Chroma Course is all about learning watercolor skills so you can produce commercial-friendly art to license or sell online. So in addition to learning about brush control and color mixing, I also teach methods for trend tracking, organic marketing through social media, and how to optimize your brand presence to increase traction and generate sales.
The result is an immersive, small group course that lasts for four weeks. I capped seating at fifty students, so there is an opportunity for everyone to know one another throughout our month together. My hope is that this environment will help form and nurture a community of artists who support each other’s growth.
Every single seat sold out and class kicks off January 3rd. I absolutely cannot wait.
New Brand Collabs:
2021 was a fruitful year for partnerships and collaborations. I introduced new clients into the mix, and grew well-established relationships with existing licensors as well.
Brand Collaborations
Urban Outfitters x CatCoq
2021 marks five years of celebrating profitable partnerships with UO!
I originally drew this “Sunshine – Retro Palette” artwork over the summer of 2020 while I was quarantining in a cabin, deep in the Rocky Mountains. I was designing baby shower invites for my sister-in-law and illustrated this sunshine for the cards.
This design absolutely took off and became the star of my portfolio in 2021. It was featured in more licensing deals than other other design of mine this year.
Brand Collaborations
Target x CatCoq
I’ve had over 150 new designs available online in Target throughout 2021. There was a wild range of products: wallpaper, art prints, throw pillows, cutting boards, bedding, tapestries, and wrapped canvas, just to name a few.
I also had my first big break with in-store products sold in Target stores. My licensing agent texted me a photo of her holding up a “Positive Energy” wine coaster I’d designed that was now sold in-store at a Target in Huntington Beach. When I opened that email, I did a little happy dance to celebrate finally breaking through the barrier into in-store products.
Brand Collaborations
Peking Handicraft x CatCoq
Throughout 2021, I loved seeing my “Retro Sunshine” collection come to life! In this collection, Peking Handicraft transformed my illustrations into this woven collection, which debuted over the summer.
I created the “Moon Glow” design to accompany my “Retro Sunshine” artwork. At a glance, “Moon Glow” just looks like a pretty drawing to match the vibes of its sister design. But there’s a strategy behind why I created it– artwork that pairs well with other designs tends to sell better than stand-alone pieces. Customers (and licensors) love buying multiple pieces of artwork that looks good together. In this case, creating a design series absolutely paid off: Peking Handicraft chose every design in the collection to infuse into this new woven home decor series.
Brand Collaborations
Studio Oh x CatCoq
Studio Oh is one of my newest licensing partners and they’ve created some insanely cute products with my designs: tiger-patterned nail wraps, sunshine air fresheners, pear-decorated planners, and more. Their products can be found at most gift, stationery, and book stores.
Fun anecdote: In November, I was shopping at Nordstrom Rack and surprised myself by coming across my own designs on Studio Oh nail wraps. I painted a collection of technicolor tigers a couple years ago while I was still living in Thailand. My agents facilitated a licensing agreement with Studio Oh to use the tigers as nail wraps and I just happened to stumble upon them that afternoon. It’s a pretty surreal feeling to be surprised by my own art while shopping for nail polish!
Brand Collaborations
Lang x CatCoq
As the industry leader for stationery products, Lang has turned dozens of my designs into items like calendars, journals, planners, stickers, magnets, and more. Lang has an impeccable attention to detail, and their creative team elevated my designs with metallic foils and shimmery glitter finishes. I’m pretty sure 10-year-old Cat would have squealed at those pink-glittered cupcake & ice cream magnets. (Who am I kidding? 34-year-old Cat absolutely did.)
Brand Collaborations
Anthropologie x CatCoq
This is a biggie for me: For years, one of my brand milestones was getting my work into Anthropologie. In December of 2021, that became a reality. My licensing partner, East End Prints, acquired Anthropologie as a new client and my “Champagne Collection” artwork was chosen for the debut collection in UK stores.
When I opened the email with the big news, my face turned bright red and I nearly forgot to breathe. Anthro has been a white whale client of mine for so long and this brand affiliation will blossom into so many incredible opportunities.
Brand Collaborations
Impetus x CatCoq
My new nightwear collection with Impetus launched this year, debuting my “Snow Leopard Print” design on select apparel. Impetus is a Portugal-based clothing brand and their fabrics are all ultra-soft cotton.
In terms of product types, apparel has been fairly under-utilized in my brand. My designs are fairly saturated in home decor, stationery, and gifting, so it’s a breath of fresh air when I get to crack into a fairly new product category. I hope this collection generates more apparel opportunities down the road.
Classes Published in 2021
This year marks my five-year anniversary teaching online classes through Skillshare. Fittingly, I happened to publish exactly five classes this year, too.
Online education has been on the rise for the last decade, but Covid propelled this industry through the roof. My enrollment soared up to 375,000+ total students in my classes and 285,000+ total hours of learning. One of my classes even made the elite “Top 20 Classes of 2021” list. Teaching online used to be a small aspect of my brand, but now, it’s among my primary focuses.
Class Published:
Draw Your Dream Home in Procreate
Ready to envision your dream home and make it a reality through illustration? That’s exactly what you’re going to learn in this Procreate digital drawing class! This step-by-step class covers the full process.
Class Published:
Digitize Your Art to Sell Online: Prep Your Paintings for Print-On-Demand
Are you interested in selling your hand-painted or hand-drawn illustrations online? In this class, you’re going to learn the step-by-step process of digitizing and enhancing your analogue artwork specifically for print-on-demand sales like Society6 and Spoonflower.
Class Published: Cultivating Color: Vary Palettes in Original Art & Grow Your Portfolio
Do you want to learn how to duplicate your original artwork into a variety of brand new color schemes? With just a few clicks, you can turn one piece of artwork into an assortment of color palettes!
Class Published: Paint Fruits & Florals in Watercolor with a Modern Twist
Learn to paint watercolor fruits & florals with a modern twist! In this class, you’ll create four distinct watercolor paintings. During each project, you’ll learn specific skills to help you fine-tune your painting skills and learn what makes watercolor such a unique medium.
Class Published: Paint Botanical Watercolors with a Modern Twist
In this class, you’ll create four distinct watercolor paintings. During each project, you’ll learn specific skills to help you fine-tune your painting skills and learn what makes watercolor such a unique medium.
2021 Interviews / Speaking Events
2021 brought upon another year of digital events. Between speaking panels, IG Lives, Zoom workshops, and webinars, I had some pretty incredible opportunities to give back to my creative community this year.
Spoonflower Design Symposium
Spoonflower is the industry leader for print-on-demand fabrics and wallpaper. In August, I spoke on a panel during Spoonflower’s inaugural Design Symposium. The topic: Trends, Color Palettes and Developing your Personal Style. My fellow panelists and I chatted about how we utilize trends to grow our businesses and the big takeaways we’ve had along the journey.
Facebook Live Interview w/ Mable Tan
In this hour-long live Q&A facilitated by Mable Tan, I had the opportunity to answer questions about surface design, art licensing, and running a creative business. You can watch the recording here on Youtube. This has become my most popular video on my channel with over 3,000 views.
Creative Business Accelerator
I partnered up with my good friend and France retreat co-host, Logan Elliott, to guest-host two of his sessions during his Creative Business Accelerator. The CBA is an 8-week program geared at creatives in all fields who are just getting started with their business or side-hustle. This program is an absolute goldmine of knowledge for anyone interested in building their business.
Showcase x Jewel Branding
In May, I spoke on a panel during Showcase, a virtual event aimed at artists and the agents, retailers, and licensees that work with us. Because I was speaking directly with insiders in my industry, I had the opportunity to share candidly the challenges I’ve faced, primarily how I’ve addressed growth.
Over the years, I had to learn to trust outside parties to share my vision and handle aspects of my business so I can focus on others. “I was working in my business and not on my business. I needed to find partnerships to scale my brand. But letting go of control was difficult.”
Voyage KC Magazine
My hometown of Kansas City has a strong creative community. I had the pleasure of speaking with Voyage KC magazine to chat about my life and career as a nomadic artist with midwestern roots. Read the interview here. Even better? My best friend, Katie Garcia, was interviewed by the same publication this year. Check out her interview here.
Adobe x Skillshare
Speaking at the Adobe Max conference was absolutely the most exposure I’ve ever had for my brand, with 50,000 attendees watching my presentation.
You can watch a replay here.
Most Memorable Moments (AKA my personal highlight reel):
This year, I met my niece for the first time! I became an aunt in October 2020 when Aurora Mae Coquillette was born, but I didn’t get to meet her in person until this year. She is a curious and bubbly little kid and I can’t wait to watch her grow! (I have many future art/craft projects planned.) Despite the pandemic, I still got to pack in a handful of visits to my hometown throughout 2021. It’s been wonderful to spend so much time with family and friends back home in Kansas. As the newest addition, Aurora has brightened up all of our lives with her pensive and sparkling personality.
I put a deposit on a house in Costa Rica! After six years of living out of a suitcase, I decided it’s finally time to settle down (at least for six months each year). The best part? My best friends are my future next-door-neighbors. We’re building our houses side-by-side in Santa Teresa, a coastal village on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. We visited in December to check out our lots and experience the town firsthand. 10/10 beaches, food, and people.
So many mental health days at this jungle cabin. Whenever we needed a break, Adam and I would book a couple nights tucked away in the jungle. Our days = swimming in a cenote, grilling shrimp & veggies, and pelting clay pellets into the woods with our sling shot.
Strolling through The Vatican while it’s empty. Well this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience: One of the perks of traveling internationally during Covid = sparse tourists. Adam and I were among the first in (a very short) line when the Vatican Museums opened in the AM. We bee-lined straight to the Sistine Chapel to bask in its solitude.
Painting + BBQ nights every Friday. Back in Chiang Mai, I’d gather with friends every weekend for a painting session. One of those friends is now living down the street from me in Mexico and she suggested we reignite our ol’ painting days. Now, 10–15 of us gather every Friday at her condo for watercolors and BBQ.
Two firsts: Visits to Buffalo + bonus Niagara Falls. Adam and I visited his family a handful of times throughout 2021. We enjoyed good convos, fam dinners, and packed in loads of time with his niece & nephews. Our timing was perfect– we were there to celebrate his nephew’s birthday, Thanksgiving, and the first night of Hanukkah. Bonus: Our lovely date at this little waterfall.
I reunited with my Aussie BFF. Kate was one of my first nomad friends– we first met in Thailand years ago and have shared some incredible experiences traveling together in Thailand, Bali, Italy, and Montenegro. She’s since made the Balkans her permanent home. (No) thanks to Covid, we went nearly two years without seeing each other. I carved out a month this summer in Kotor, Montengro and we packed in our BFF time: hiking, wine, octopus salads, and years worth of in-person catching up.
A month of R&R in Montenegro. After the French retreat wrapped, Adam and I flew down to Montenegro and booked a monthlong AirBNB. Hiking trails began from our doorstep and a family of cats lived on our balcony. Oh, and within our first week there, the kebab shop owner knew Adam by name. What more do you need?
My favorite date night ever: Italian food is divine, but after a few weeks in Italy, we decided to mix it up a bit. Adam and I ordered takeout Korean and walked across the river up to this killer viewpoint of Florence at sunset. We popped the cork on a bottle of Chianti (pairs great with bibimbap and kimchi, by the way) and enjoyed a fabulous evening together. So much gratitude.
Got covid. Got vaccinated. Getting sick with Covid in July wasn’t exactly a highlight of 2021, but it deserves a mention. I was tested for Covid seventeen times this year, mostly for travel requirements and precaution before visiting family. One of those tests came back positive and I was sick in bed for a week. The plus side? With natural immunity + double vaxxed, Adam and I now have super power antibodies!
Shenanigans in the Gardens of Versailles. The four of us were let loose in Versailles for a day. The palace was everything my gaudy, Rococo-loving heart desired, but it was a relief to step outside into fresh air and precisely-manicured gardens. We spent hours picking our way through the grounds from one ornate fountainscape to another.
A home-delivered kitten for my birthday. To celebrate my 34 years on this planet, Adam catnapped Canelo from a coworking space and brought him home for a 3-hour play date. “I can’t believe Canelo is in our living room!” I’ve been obsessed with this kitten since he first arrived at the coworking space in March and he’s my favorite Instagram friend.
Open mic nights in Playa. One of Adam’s super powers is bringing community together, and “Playa del Comedy” in Playa del Carmen is no exception. He organized these open mic nights featuring both local talent and comedians from around the world. 10/10 entertainment.
Hanging out with my fam in Lawrence, KS. My brother and sister-in-law are fabulous people and I treasure the moments I get to spend with them. We packed in lot this year: home-cooked meals (thanks, Kelley!), shopping trips on Mass Street, neighborhood walks, excursions to Kansas City, and just kicking back with great conversations on their screened-in porch in the evenings.
Places I lived/traveled:
I didn’t bounce around this year as much as I’ve done in the past, and it was incredible. Slow travel is my new best friend.
📍 Playa del Carmen, Mexico
I was in Playa the moment 2021 began and will be here when 2021 ends. I never really envisioned myself spending more than a couple months here in this cruise ship stop town, but community and convenience won out. I’m a direct flight back to the USA, Amazon delivers, and I’m here with a solid crew of friends– we all live within a one mile radius.
Playa also gives me productivity and routine: I sit at the same seat at the coworking space I joined, I eat the same protein bowl for lunch every day and I have morning sessions with the same personal trainer throughout the week. Playa is the place where I get to sink into a groove and get shit done– it feels fabulous.
📍 Kotor, Montenegro
I first visited Kotor in the summer or 2018 on the recommendation of my friend, Kate. I loved it so much that I returned a few months later for round two. Three years later, I found myself back in this tucked away little coastal town, sipping wine with Kate just like old times.
I also had the pleasure of watching Adam and Logan experience the magic of Kotor for the first time. The four of us hiked the mountain trails on both sides of the bay, strolled through the old town petting the famed Kotor cats, and shopped at the morning market (hello, fresh cheese, raspberries and aged prosciutto). This is one of my favorite places on the planet and I reveled in getting to spend an entire month enjoying my surroundings and company.
📍 Rome, Italy
Rome is hands down my favorite “big city” on the planet. Why? Simply put, food and art history. Any time I’m in Europe, I try to carve out at least a handful of days here. (All roads lead to Rome, right?) Coming back here is always a blend of familiarity and novelty: I have my favorite spots bookmarked on Google Maps, but I always sneak in a few new experiences each time.
Rome always winds up being a “solo travel” stop for me, so my 2021 visit was extra special– for the first time in ages, I had someone to share Rome with. Adam and I packed in our time wandering the streets of Trastevere (where I sipped the best cappuccino of my entire life), ate decadent meals (including my favorite panini at Pane e Salame: prosciutto crudo, buffalo mozzarella, arugula and truffle cream), and spent hours meandering through the Vatican.
📍 Florence, Italy
Another tried and true favorite destination for me is Florence, probably for the same reasons I’m so fond of Rome: flavorful food and some of the greatest pieces of art ever created by humans.
Adam and I were here for a couple weeks, so we took in Florence at a leisurely pace. We checked off the “must-dos”:
A day at the Uffizi Gallery to ogle over Venus & (my fave) the Three Graces
A failed walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo for a view of the city (our wrong turn gave us a better (and far less crowded) one from Fort Belvedere
Window shopping for glittering jewelry along the Ponte Vecchio. (I wound up buying a 7€ ring at an antique store/deli across the alley from our apartment instead.)
📍 Paris, France
France marks the 40th country I’ve visited and Paris was the jumping off point before and after my watercolor retreat. Most memorable moment? Visiting a fancy bakery and biting into the airiest macaron I’ve ever tasted. It was like eating a sweet cloud. The French know what’s up.
📍 Saint-Priest-Ligoure, France
We held our watercolor retreat at this chateau in the French countryside. It was the perfect setting for creativity and relaxation. We painted outside on the large banquet table, sipped wine by the fire pit, and sprawled out on the couches in the lounge for group chats and masterminds.
📍 Mexico City
Every year, my October plans involve flying to Bangkok, Thailand for the annual Dynamite Circle conference. (300 entrepreneurs for a week of masterminds, keynotes, breakout sessions, and mingling.) Covid threw a wrench in that plan last year, so the conference was understandably called off.
In 2021, it’s still a hassle to get into most of SE Asia, so the annual conference was hosted in Mexico City instead. No complaints– I’m already living in Mexico, so it was a short commute. Plus, Mexico City is one of my favorite spots in the Americas: easy walkability, delicious food, and awesome people.
📍 Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
In July of 2021, I put a deposit on a plot of land in Costa Rica, in a town I’d never been to. In December, I finally had the chance to fly down to check out the costal village of Santa Teresa, site of my future home, in person.
The icing on the cake? My good friends, Aga and Connor, are my soon-to-be next door neighbors. After a few days in Santa Teresa, we decided this town has all of the attributes we all loved while living in Bali: tons of healthy food options, gorgeous beaches, surfing, chill vibe. (But without the Bali cons: opposite time zone, trash fires, pronounced poverty, over-crowded everything.)
