By Leon Thomas
It hasn’t been all that long since 25-year old illustrator and graphic design graduate Kate Parsons began publicly showcasing her work, but her story of positivity and making a bad situation feel bright and colourful again is one that we all need to hear.
“I saw a quote recently which read: ‘People romanticise their plans but dread the execution. The magic you’re looking for is in the work you’re avoiding,’ and that’s exactly what I was doing.”
Kate had been thinking about launching her professional Instagram (now named Intrikate Illustrations) for ‘a couple of years’ at least, ever since her neice had asked for a drawing of a unicorn. What was supposed to be one-off drawing spiralled into a few of her closest friends requesting similar images, which in turn led to suggestions that she start selling her work.
“I’ve always put it off because I didn’t think I had enough content, enough time, but during lockdown I’ve been focusing on my artwork a lot more and finally got the chance to produce a logo and brainstorm more ideas,” she continued to explain.
“I still kept thinking ‘maybe when I’ve finished this piece,’ but I follow an account called ‘Artful’ and during quarantine they’ve been posting a different drawing challenge each day and sharing work that has been submitted. One day the subject just fitted in with my work and I thought that was a good opportunity to finally go for it.”
Kate grew up in Chesterfield, a town in Derbyshire not so far from Sheffield, where she grew her interest in art – and particularly illustration – through personal motivation as well as studying through her A-Levels, “I’ve always loved art and won competitions for it at school, having my work displayed on the corridor walls and there was a period after reading a Jacqueline Wilson book where I became obsessed with the idea of going to “art school” – whatever that is – but as I got older, even though my A-Level teachers helped me grow my confidence in my work, the idea of becoming an ‘artist’ seemed far fetched and ridiculous.”
It was through this common tale of disillusionment that spurred her to study Graphic Design at Sheffield Hallam university – a safer bet than Fine Art as she didn’t want to become a teacher and never thought she would become a famous artist: “In hindsight I probably should’ve chosen Fine Art, but I do think, now, that with platforms such as Instagram and Etsy it’s a way more accessible aspiration.”
Although she has always been a skilled life-drawing artist, her favourite medium being graphite pencils “because of how intricate they can be,” Kate has still found certain barriers to ‘making it big’ on social media: “I definitely underestimated how hard it would be to gain legitimate followers who actually follow me for my art, and not just to get a follow back.
“I chose to start my account in secret, mostly, which seems silly and might be in part a confidence thing, but I also didn’t want it to just turn into my personal account – seeing the same posts and likes, which helps me appreciate each follower a lot more.
“Once I’ve set the foundations, then I’ll introduce my feed to my friends.”
Just like the rest of us, Kate’s ‘day job’ has been heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which has meant that she has been working from home rather than inside the leisure centre where she has been for the last couple of years: “I keep thinking back to times I went shopping or to a bar and never ever thought that one day I may not be allowed to do that.
“I feel like every time I wake up, there’s something on the news that’s even more shocking than the day before, whether that be the death toll, images of packed beaches or the brutal murder of George Floyd in America, weeks after Ahmed Aubrey and the tip of the iceberg for many more unjust cases.
“I have had an interest in the American justice system for a while, having watched a lot of documentaries and read many articles which feature stories similar to this one. Things need to change, not just in America but across the world, including the UK.
“My artwork has definitely helped me keep positive and keep my mind ticking.
“I am currently trying to come up with ideas on how I can use my artwork to contribute to the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as signing petitions, as it’s often hard to know how to help.
“I would also like to one day be involved in delivering art workshops within prisons, which I feel often fail their purpose of rehabilitation (when the person is rightly convicted). I believe art can be very powerful in improving the mind.”
Of course, Kate is right. We’re living in times which feel surreal and almost like something inside of a Jordan Peele movie – yet what’s happening is also eerily familiar for people who have lived through similarly hard times such as segregation or / and the HIV pandemic of the ‘80s.
“For anybody who is currently struggling in lockdown, I think the best thing you can do is find something to immerse yourself in – whether that be work, a hobby, exercise or a cause.”
Light at the end
“It’s ok to feel overwhelmed and have a little cry if it’s what you need, but doing this too often is bound to make things worse. You need to find some form of positivity amongst it all, give yourself something to look forward to or fight for.”
“For me, the light at the end of the tunnel is knowing that I will be able to see all my friends and family that I haven’t seen for months – but especially my niece and nephew, they always brighten my day.”
It’s important to remember that becoming a new face on the scene also comes with it’s own struggles, such as the time frame it takes to build up a loyal base of admirers, yet Kate is determined to keep her eyes on the prize: “I would love to expand my brand by opening an Etsy store and creating my own website.
“Instagram is the best social media platform to express yourself and your work as an artist, so if I could make it part of my career I would love to do so forever.
“For now, I’m just starting out on this journey, every like is a bonus which I can still find really exciting.”
And if you want to follow in Kate’s footsteps by adding a little colour during quarantine? Well she suggests following “@Artfulbox” on Instagram, if you’re searching for creativity and inspiration as well as accounts such as “@artsyaffirmations” and “@typegalstudio” for a constant fix of motivational quotes for brightening up your feed.
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