Golden Hour Collection with Contrado
Golden Hour Collection // CatCoq x Contrado
I’m thrilled to announce my latest “Golden Hour” collection with Contrado!
When Contrado reached out about partnering up for a CatCoq x Contrado artist collection, I was absolutely thrilled, to put it mildly. Contrado is a high-end, fashion-forward brand with an emphasize on sustainability and eco-friendliness. All of their items are made to order, which means products are not produced beyond need.
My designs for the “Golden Hour” collection are all intended to evoke an appreciation for a retro-inspired aesthetic mixed in with modern touches. We tend to see trends reemerge over the decades and one of my favorite examples of this is the resurgence of 1960s fashion.
I incorporated those iconic 60s colors: olive green, garnet, plum and ochre, and infused modern pops of color: bubble gum pink and mint, to create a blended retro/mod palette that feels vintage yet fresh. When it comes to iconography, I peppered this collection with flower-power daisies, psychedelic swirls, retro patterns, and quotes of empowerment. The collection’s vibe is positive, quirky, and free-spirited.
Artist Q&A with Cat:
Contrado: Take us back to the beginning of your career as a designer. How did you get started?
I started my career fresh out of college working as a junior designer at a small branding agency in Kansas City. I loved my job– I got to design logos and websites, rebrand packaging, even art direct photoshoots.
However, my deepest passions were always creating art and traveling to new places. Outside my 9-to-5 job, I’d either be in my car roadtripping to the nearest national park or painting in my apartment. My roommate grudgingly allowed me to take over the dining room and turn it into my art studio. All I had to do in return for her was design all of her friend’s wedding invites and bachelorette party swag for the foreseeable future. Deal!
Anyway, I started selling my art online through a variety of print-on-demand sites. My side-hustle as an artist eventually began to pay off. Once I was making enough money on the side to support myself, I decided to leave my day job behind and begin forging my own path.
The day I put in my two-weeks notice, I impulse-purchased a plane ticket to the Philippines, departing the following month. I’d been squirreling away my side-income into savings, so was the first time in my entire life that I had some financial flexibility and complete autonomy. Why wouldn’t I take some personal time and finally indulge myself in that one BIG trip before starting self-employment?
I listened to my intuition and decided I was going to spend six weeks solo backpacking through Southeast Asia, starting in the Philippines, then making my way through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.
When I told my family and friends that I’d just quit my job and -oh, by the way- I’m also embarking on my first ever solo trip to five countries in Asia I’d never been to, it’s safe to say a lot of them thought I was absolutely insane.
Those six weeks were the most exhilarating I’d ever experienced in my life up until that point. I hiked in Vietnamese jungles, ate fried tarantulas at a bus stop in Cambodia, slept in a hammock in Laos, and tasted treats from just about every street food stall in Thailand I came across. I kept a journal during that trip and transcribed it into a blog post if you’re interested.
I didn’t want my trip to end. But then I realized it didn’t have to. Why not run my own business while traveling the world? As long as I have a good internet connection, I could really work from anywhere. Once that realization hit, my mind was already made up. That was six years ago, and I’m still living this lifestyle.
In the time since that initial trip, I’ve lived in and traveling through over forty countries. I cram my laptop, art supplies, and scanner in my backpack and I work from anywhere and everywhere. I have ultimate freedom to decide where I want to go and what experiences I’m craving.
Today, I’m still a full-time traveler, self-employed artist, and online educator. I teach through a platform called Skillshare and my classes are literally the things I wish I would have known when I was first getting started as an artist.
My goal is to help other aspiring creatives reach their own success by leveraging their skills into a viable income. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that there is no shortage of opportunities for artists out there.
Contrado: Walk us through your design process, what materials do you work in?
I create in all sorts of mediums, although my favorites are watercolor, acrylic, and digital art. I also like to combine mediums together and play around with the possibilities.
In my “Optical Waves”, “Houndstooth”, “Starburst Mosaic”, and “Azerbaijan Pattern”, for example, the original art all started as a few hand-painted shapes in acrylic. I scanned in the shapes and brought them into my computer, duplicated them, and arranged them into these dynamic patterns.
I could have easily just made the whole pattern digitally, but love the look of visible brushstrokes and I wanted to retain that “hand-painted” vibe.
Check out these juicy close-up brushstrokes:
I also create a lot of artwork on my iPad using the drawing app, Procreate. I only started drawing in Procreate a couple years ago, but I’m absolutely smitten with this medium.
Now, I can lounge on the couch munching popcorn while cradling my iPad and creating my own little masterpieces. It’s the lazy artist’s dream!
I drew “Checkered Daisies”, “Sunshine Melt”, “Slay the Day”, and “Retro Sunshine” all on my iPad, probably all while nibbling on snacks and listening to a good podcast.
Contrado: How does traveling across the globe as a “digital nomad” influence your designs?
I’ve been living as a digital nomad for nearly seven years, which means I run my entire brand from around the globe. My “office” changes daily– usually a coffee shop, coworking space, or airport terminal somewhere in the world.
My goal is to have my artwork reflect my appreciation for culture, travel, and the outdoors. It’s probably no surprise that botanical gardens are among my favorite “touristy” things to do when I arrive in a new city.
I snap photos while I’m out and about and use my camera roll as imagery inspiration when I’m sitting down to paint or draw.
Contrado: Tell us about some of the designs in Contrado’s Golden Hour collection?
My designs for the “Golden Hour” collection are all intended to evoke an appreciation for a retro-inspired aesthetic mixed in with modern touches. We tend to see trends reemerge over the decades and one of my favorite examples of this is the resurgence of 1960s fashion.
I incorporated those iconic 60s colors: olive green, garnet, plum and ochre, and infused modern pops of color: bubble gum pink and mint, to create a blended retro/mod palette that feels vintage yet fresh.
When it comes to iconography, I peppered this collection with flower-power daisies, psychedelic swirls, retro patterns, and quotes of empowerment. The collection’s vibe is positive, quirky, and free-spirited.
Contrado: How can you imagine people styling these pieces?
The bold designs in this collection create statement pieces– they’re all conversation starters for sure. You could easily complement any of these designs with jeans and a simple tee.
If you want to go all-out and embrace the funkiness, pair this collection with vintage finds and bohemian touches.
Contrado: Do you have a favorite piece in Golden Hour collection?
Fun little fact: I originally illustrated “Retro Sunshine” for my niece! (She’s a year old now.) My sister-in-law asked me to design her baby shower invites and I whipped up this sunshine illustration for her.
Aurora was a little beam of sunshine coming into our lives, so the sunny motif felt appropriate. On a whim, I added the design to my art portfolio and it took off like wildfire! It’s pretty special to have such a personal connection with this design.
Contrado: What advice would you give new artists interested in selling their designs and joining Contrado?
Don’t limit yourself before you even get started. I see so many artists let self doubt take over before they even give themselves a chance to succeed. I get it– I’ve definitely felt that imposter syndrome creep in from time to time, too.
There are so many supportive communities out there with the goal of helping each other thrive. Aim to surround yourself with people who lift you up and encourage you to succeed.
I found my community through Skillshare. I took a handful of classes to learn the basics of surface design and I started following teachers that inspired me. Now, I’m a teacher myself and I get to share my own life lessons and creative wisdom with my students.
I feel like I’ve come full circle. : )
Contrado: How do you want people to feel when they’re in their home or space and see your designs?
My goal is for these designs to make people feel creative, empowered, and like this collection is an extension of their own unique style.
Contrado: Do you have a motto when it comes to making art or life in general?
“At the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.”
― Shanti
