š Meet the 2025 Scholarship Recipients for The Art of Collectionsā¢!
Iām thrilled to introduce the six incredible artists who were selected to receive full-ride scholarships to The Art of Collectionsā¢, my 6-month mentorship program designed to help artists build a pitch-perfect portfolio and turn their art into a profitable licensing career.
When I first announced the scholarship program, I said Iād be awarding five full-ride spots. But after reading through nearly five hundred (!!!) heartfelt applications from talented artists around the world, I just couldnāt narrow it down. There were too many incredible stories and promising portfoliosāso I decided to go with six.
Choosing was so hard, but these six recipients really lit us up with their drive, talent, and potential. They embody everything the CatCoq Collectiveā¢ stands for: creativity, community, ambition, and a deep commitment to growing their art businesses.
Letās meet them! š
š Rayane Alvim
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Bio: Hi! My name is Rayane Alvim, and Iām a Brazilian artist specializing in hand lettering, illustration, and surface pattern design. As a lifelong fangirl, my interest in art and design started while creating fan art in Photoshop as a teen ā so yes, my career literally began because I love things way too much! My work typically features bold hand lettering and vibrant illustrations, with a mix of textures for that hand-drawn feel and clean vector artwork, often incorporating pop culture references.
Website: www.rayanealvim.com
Instagram: @rayane.alvim
š Anna Black
Location: Cascais, Portugal
Bio: Hi! I'm Anna, of Anna Black Creative. Iām originally from Scotland but have been in Portugal for over 20 years now, where I live with my husband and two teen girls. My background is in science and I worked for a long time in the tech industry, but as I approached 50, I started to yearn for a career that I felt really passionate about (and that didn't tie me to a grinding daily commute!). I finally broke free from the rat race a few years ago and dove right in to building my own creative business.
Website: hwww.annablackcreative.com/
Instagram: @annablackcreative
š Indira Prieto Aranguren
Location: Hollywood, FL, USA
Bio: Iām Indira Prieto, a Cuban-born designer and illustrator based in Miami. Iāve always been drawn to vibrant colors, expressive lettering, and anything I could make my own. After working with agencies and in-house teams, I realized I needed more creative freedom; so I launched IndySign, blending my love for lettering and design. My work is rooted in culture, community, and storytelling.
Website: www.indysigncreative.com
Instagram: @theindysign
š Michelle Charles
Location: Trinidad, Caribbean
Bio: Iām a mom to two wonderful daughters and a grandmother. For the past 2 years Iāve been teaching myself Photoshop, taking courses on Skillshare and creating a lot of art in order to discover my unique Caribbean style that would be a good fit for the Home Decor Niche. My vision for Designs by Miche is to include a storytelling of this multiplicity of concepts in my designs so that they resonate powerfully with my audiences, the Caribbean diasporic populations as well as with international art directors, creative directors and makers. Caribbean design is truly unique and mostly undiscovered. It represents a new chapter in authentic design which is sure to attract both existing and new clients and I look forward to sharing my designs with the world.
Instagram: @designsbymiche
š Marcela Flores Thompson
Location: Mandelieu, France
Bio: Hi, Iām Marcela, a Mexican illustrator based in France. My work is all about spreading joy and hope through colorful, expressive illustrations ā especially portraits and vibrant scenes full of life. Iām deeply inspired by tropical plants, flowers, and bright colors. I also believe in not taking life (or problems) too seriously ā maybe thatās my Mexican roots speaking.
Website: www.lalaetlola.com
Instagram: @lalaetlola
š Emily Grogan
Location: Brighton, UK
Bio: Hi, I'm Emily - an artist and surface designer from the seaside town of Brighton, UK. I create bold, playful prints with a vintage, handcrafted feel, often inspired by childhood memories and an imaginative view of the world around me. As the daughter of an upholsterer, pattern has always felt like home to me. Iām especially drawn to creating prints that carry a sense of nostalgia and storytelling - vegetable gardens, retro florals, sea swimmers - filtered through a bright, joyful colour palette and quirky graphic shapes.
Website: www.pemilyland.com
Instagram: @pemilyland
Each of these artists will receive a full-ride scholarship to The Art of Collectionsā¢, which kicks off later this month. I canāt wait to support them through the next six months of portfolio building, pitching, and making big moves in their creative careers.
šļø Enrollment for the next round of The Art of Collectionsā¢ officially opens on July 22 (or July 21 for those on the waitlist!). If youāre ready to turn your art into income and join a community of motivated artists like these, Iād love to welcome you into the program.
š Join the waitlist here to be the first to know when doors open!
And one more thingāThe first 10 people to enroll get a bonus private group coaching call with me. š
Huge congratulations again to our scholarship recipients. This is just the beginning!
xo,
Cat