meet: katie of idlewild co.
katie from idlewild co. is here sharing with us this week! katie is the founder of boutique paper goods company idlewild co. based out of vero beach, florida, katie is the brilliance behind the beautiful, warm designs that invite you in to celebrate and enjoy life! take a peak at her work and listen to some of her story and i'm sure you will be just as smitten as i am.
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what is your background?
i graduated from Pratt Institute in brooklyn, new york with a degree in graphic design--although all along the way my professors told me i'd be an illustrator! the cozy urban environment of my various brooklyn neighborhoods influenced my artwork immensely upon graduation. i began selling painted urban landscapes with notable brooklyn buildings and quickly veered into brooklyn themed wedding invitations. lately, after a move beachside to florida, i have forayed into jungly-tropical inspired artwork. i'm not sure if that is a turn in trend for the industry-at-large, or just something i'm feeling the vibes of from my new locale.
how did you get started designing & selling?
i began by selling prints of my actual large-scale paintings on etsy and at the renegade craft festivals. producing my fine art into prints led me to pairing my paintings on other paper goods such as greeting cards, notepads and so on.
what inspires you?
i'm certainly inspired by the plant life of florida. it's funny because in brooklyn i was completely in love with the turn of the century architecture and brownstones of my neighborhood. now that i've moved to florida i've been enamored with tropical foliage of all sorts- and i've gone legitimately nuts collecting, (see: hoarding,) and growing the actual plants throughout our home and studio!
what’s your favorite type of project to work on?
i like working on anything with a client who doesn't reference another artist's work as something to "be inspired by." i also love working on anything involving hand-lettering.
what’s the most challenging thing about owning your own business?
for me personally it's a delegation issue. for 3 years, i did almost everything from our product design, to shipping, to planning our shows, wholesale management and marketing. we've grown a lot in the past year and i've had to hire (spectacular) help. it's been a bit challenging for me to figure out how best to separate the tasks i used to handle all on my own in a way that was efficient for our business as a whole. we've now got an assembly team, studio manager, and wholesale manager on staff which allows me to focus on all things creative.
what advice would you give to makers who are just getting started?
i would say have a clear, creative point of view–that's not like anything else on the market. it shapes your brand or aesthetic into something recognizable, which is invaluable in a market that is–thanks to the internet–virtually limitless! i'd also advise upstarting makers to formulate a concise mission statement as well as a 1 year, 5 year, and big picture plan/timeline. it's not that your plans can't shift and be reevaluated, but having those thoughts on paper gives you a concrete goal to work towards.
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katie is offering all everglow handmade readers a 30% coupon to her website with the code 'EVERGLOW30'. cart total must be $10+, coupon expires on august 7th. be sure to take advantage of her generous coupon and stock up all your card needs!
i am so inspired by your work and story, katie! thanks so much for sharing and best of luck. be sure to check out katie's instagram for some goodness, as well.