In my fifth interview in this series, I had a lively chat with cat-lover Taylor Carroll.  She’s a full-time working artist, maker and teacher in Christiansburg, Virginia, USA.

Shelley Skail: Your art is so cute! It’s kind of ‘kawaii’. It makes me smile when I look at it and I was wondering, where do you get your ideas for your cute stuff from or for any of the art that you make?

Taylor Carroll: That’s a big question! I definitely know that I make art because I want people to smile. So the fact that you’re like, ‘it makes me smile’, that’s the goal. I am (obviously) obsessed with cats, so a lot of inspiration comes from that.

My grandma was an animal control officer all of my childhood. I was on-call with her a lot. I would go and we’d take in all the foster kittens and when I was a child, I was literally bottle feeding newborn kittens as a childSo I’ve always been around that kind of stuff. That’s always been really inspiring. And then there’s a lot of sadness around that too because they don’t always make it or we have to go to unfortunate situations. I definitely went to a couple things with her that were heavy for a kid and she definitely tried to make it not, but I would be with her and she had to do her job.

So that’s definitely where that comes from – making people smile because animals are fun and cute and I love that. 

But I started drawing more cute things right out of college because I had a lot of art professors who wouldn’t let me – I got a lot of pushback when I was at school for it. So I learnt a lot of really good technical skills in school, but I felt a lot of the teachers wouldn’t let me apply them in the way that I wanted to.

So it’s a little bit of my childhood and what I genuinely find fun to look at, but also kind of a pushback to the industry as a whole. I find a lot of artists who do more cute things aren’t taken as seriously.  And just because my art is fun doesn’t mean I’m not a serious artist.

[Nodding] Absolutely! Sometimes I like to draw anime-style things or cute things, and I’ve shown my Grandmother some of that work. And she said “it’s great that you can do this stuff” because what she refers to as ‘caricatures’ (because in her day that’s how that kind of art was described) she said her art teachers frowned upon it and it wasn’t really considered ‘proper art’. And so she was pushed down the path of realism and traditional “art”. I think it’s really unfortunate that it’s still happening and I think it’s awesome that you haven’t internalised that.

I did! I took it in really hard and while I think everybody has imposter syndrome I still have days where I have that layer of, am I doing what I was meant to do with my [art] degree?

But I am. I’m doing what I want to do. 

It got to the point where, I think it was a year after college, I noticed a couple of professors that I had found to be very toxic for me were still following me [on social media] and I blocked them. So it definitely took at least a year to not internalise it because I kept trying to do more realistic or traditional things, like landscapes.  So I definitely internalise it for a little while and I finally let that go.

So you’ve gone on a journey with it too.

Yeah. It’s definitely a shame because a lot of it was wanting to pull up trauma. One professor was really trying to pull up past trauma to create art from a place of letting out sadness.  I was like, ‘why can’t I let out happiness to make other people happy?’ 

I’ve found this in the art world too – that the acceptable emotions are the ones typically considered negative.

Yeah.

So if you create a piece out of grief or rage or sadness or whatever, then that’s fine. But if you create something from joy, that’s lesser.

Yeah!

[At this point we are interrupted by an adorable and incorrigibly curious kitten]

So I’m really curious, given the kind of art that you like to make, what’s the kind of art that you like to look at – who are your favourite artists, living or dead?

I take in a lot of happy art and cute art. And I don’t know about other people, but my music tastes changes monthly and my art tastes changes weekly. I have an overall taste of what I like but as far as favourite artist, it definitely rotates a lot. 

Although I will say the first artist that I’m going to list, they’ve been my favourite for a very long time and I have pieces of them all over my house. So I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Sibylline Myenet, she’s a French artist.

Okay, that’s cool. So Sibylline – you actually have pieces of hers in your home?

Yeah.

Yeah. I have pieces of all of my favourites in my home. I built a gallery wall of all my favourite artists so when I’m walking up to my studio I get to see all of my favourite artists.

Ah, so inspiring! What a lovely idea.

Yeah. And it’s fun too, because then I got to buy from all of my favourite artists and then I’m like, “is that a business expense because it’s decorating my office?” [laughing].

[laughing] That sounds tax deductible to me.

I’ll just ask my accountant. We’ll see!

So, yeah, Sibylline, she does more realistic things. But I think the number one thing that I’m obsessed with, with her stuff is that she’s very controlled while still being very loose. So she does gouache, which is what my preferred traditional medium is.

And she always outlines everything. I feel like when I do that, sometimes it looks a little hard or like it’s static and her pieces always flow really well, even though she has these very defined lines and this almost comic style. That’s why I really like her.

Oh, okay. Yeah, I like gouache. I don’t play much with it yet, but I do appreciate it.

Yeah. And she does very surrealistic things and she does more characters – I want to get into drawing more characters. So a lot of times my favourite artist will reflect what I’m trying to lean towards.

So even when I was writing these artists at least two of them for sure do worldbuilding and I’m trying to build out the universe of this cute style that I have because I love that essence of a universe in your art that you made.

Yes! And it’s all cited within that world?

Especially because I don’t feel like I maintain a style. Like there’s bits of things that I pull from, obviously, because I’m me, but I feel I don’t like to rigidly stay in a line.  So I want to build more of a world that is my art instead of a very strict style because I’ve never been that person. I do like to change mediums frequently, I like to change style frequently.

At the moment I’m also into Heidi Roo (Heidi Moreno). She’s an L.A.-based artist, and she does a lot of cat art. And the thing I love about her, she does cute and spooky.

I do a lot of colourful art and she does a lot of more muted-tone art. So I get a lot of inspiration on how I can do different colour experiments and I don’t have to do a rainbow every time. [laughing] Even though I like it! But I definitely like the spooky while still being cute because you’re following this maybe sad or darker place and then adding the cute to it to bring the happy in. And that’s what I like about hers. And she she does a lot of gouache as well.

And then the last one, the one that’s probably the most worldbuilding, her name is Ellie versus Bear. I don’t actually know her last name, but she does watercolour-based work and she does a lot of characters, a lot of animals and a lot of full scenes. I would love to see in her brain. I’m like, is that what your brain looks like inside? Because I just want to take a vacation in your brain. Her colour palettes are more purple-y, but it’s still toeing the line of the rainbow just because it’s so saturated. I’m really into those. 

She’s really known for her Little Rock characters. All of these are really cute, kawaii illustrations and she has this one character who’s almost looks like a bear, which is Ellie Versus Bear. He purply and is always in these crazy environments.

It’s cool.

So what’s your favourite thing that you’ve created? And I appreciate that that might change from time to time, so right now – what’s your favourite thing?

I think right now my favourite thing that I did was something I painted it for my mom. It’s a portrait of every animal we’ve ever had throughout my life. I want to say it was six feet. It was six by five feet – it’s a really long canvas! 

And it was a lot, and I fought with it a lot. And there’s still things that I don’t know if I like that about it, but I explored a completely new style for me, and it was really fun to capture all of these pets that meant so much to my life and the ones that I still do have.

That’s amazing.

Yeah, it was fun. I used A LOT of paint [laughing]

You did that in gouache? That was a lot of tubes, right?

[laughs] Yeah, it was a lot! And also because I definitely painted over four or five of the panels a couple times because what I did is I divided it into groups. So each pet got its own little portrait.

That’s probably my favourite thing right now.

It’s in a gallery show right now. I work part time in an art gallery, and I put it in the show without my mom knowing, so she hadn’t seen it. I took her to the reception and then she got to see it.

Oh, that’s amazing! What a treat for your mom, that’s awesome.

Yeah!  I didn’t realise one of my cats is 13 – I don’t know why I didn’t realize how old she is, but she’s my first ever cat and she’s still with us.  So getting to paint her so high up on the board was really cool because she’s been here the whole time!

Gosh, that’s amazing.

And then also it was sad because I was like, “I want to paint one of these for everybody”. But that would be so expensive and take so much time.

Sometimes – I don’t know about you – but when I’ve done a piece that I’ve spent a long time on and I love it afterwards and I think, Oh yeah, I could make a set of these, a collection, and then I’m like… 

Do I want to do it again? 

That was that was a lot of time and effort.

Yeah. No, I feel you on that because I think that’s honestly the thing that, I when I look at it, the things that I love about it, then the things that bother me about it are the things that I’m like, man I took so long on that I overworked that part…” and you’re like, “let it go. It’s done.” Yeah.

So that sounds like it was a pretty epic labour of love. Do you have a current labour of love now that that one’s finished?

Not really. I have to make products for my business and I love being able to do that. It’s really, really fun for me, but I sometimes feel like I’m not making enough art for me, and I’m currently not working on anything.

I have another big canvas because it was buy one, get one free. Another big square one that I’m getting ready to start on. But as of right now, I’ve just been making products because I do get a lot of people asking for certain types of cat stickers, so I’m just drawing those.

Tell me a bit more about that, that kind of business project stuff.

So I started making The Stray Shop late last year, then I started doing it full time in February of this year and it has been so amazing and rewarding. The whole premise is that I wanted to make a bunch of cat art (obviously!) but I wanted to donate back to local [animal] rescues.

That’s been a big part of my life – to help animal shelters and animal control. We’ve been able to donate money and food and resources to local animal shelters because of the work I’m making.

And that’s been super rewarding. And then getting to draw people’s pets in a way that’s accessible for them to have, because I get a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, I want a portrait of my past pet or or my current pet, but it’s so expensive’. So I started doing live portraits where it’s $20 and I’ll draw a couple pets for you on a little bit of paper, you can watch me do it.  I have pictures, or I’ll have smaller portraits that are more affordable for people as well as stickers. I try to draw as many cat colours and fluffiness and all that as I can so that, hopefully, if you walk up to my products or go to my sites, you’ll find something that looks your pet that you can have.

That’s awesome.  That’s so lovely that you’re supporting those organisations as well.

Yeah, it’s been really fun to connect with them. Although that kitten that you just saw, I did an event that was called a “kitten palooza” and I was there to help raise money and awareness for the the shelter. And then I saw her and I took her home and I got a third cat! [laughing].

[laughing] It’s sounds a bit like going to an art supplies shop.

Yeah!  I don’t need all of this but what if I just took it all home..?

I know you as a teacher so it’s interesting to learn about these other aspects of your creative business.

I started in school studying animation. I graduated with the intent to be a motion graphic designer full-time. And I tried that for a little while, but I don’t really enjoy working with clients as much. So I switched to this part of my business. And I’m actually switching my Skillshare teaching offerings to more creative business and how you can manufacture your products on a budget or how you can make your own stuff at home if you are just starting a business and that kind of stuff.

Oh, nice. That’s a whole other branch of things you can help people learn!

So you mentioned you have three cats. Can you tell me about a typical day in your life? 

Well, right now my kitten likes to wake me up at 6.30 although she was very nice the other day and she just booped me with her little paw on my face. So that was the cutest thing ever.

Yeah. I’m like, if you have that every morning then I’m good because she’s just coming at me, just hitting me very lightly and that is so cute! So I normally I wake up pretty early now and I let her out, let my other cats in my room. And then from there I make coffee and then I come up to my attic space.

And then from there, I don’t know. I feel like most artists would say this, but what I need to get done varies wildly. So I can be filming, and typically I’ll film for a majority of the day before I bring footage over. Some days I’m packing orders. I don’t get a ton of online orders, we get most of our business in person, but the days I do have orders, I have a really fun time taking my time and packing all of them up for people. And then other than that, if I have a market that day or the next upcoming day, which is where I set up in-person at places, I’ll be making products. I have a silhouette cutting machine so I’ll cut stickers, I’ll make mugs, bookmarks, just all kinds of things. 

So yeah, that’s generally what my days look like. It’s either teaching, making product or shipping orders. 

When I first started my business, I definitely fell into the trap of eat dinner, go back to work. So this attic space has always been defined, but being more like, I am off now has been really helpful.

Although sometimes in the evenings I’ll paint – I used to not let myself because I thought that’s work. But if I’m painting for me, then it’s because I’m painting because I’m an artist and I want to paint.

So I definitely check in with myself. Like, when I want to make art in the evening I think do I want to make this art or am I trying to make it so I can sell it? 

And if I’m not doing that, then I’m normally playing video games or watching TV.

Oh, nice. What is your favourite video game right now?

Bear and Breakfast just came out for the Switch, so I’m a bit obsessed with that. You’re a little bear that runs a bed and breakfast. It’s adorable!

So I definitely like hardcore cosy games. I play cosy games and simulator so play sims – I’ve grown up playing Sims.

Oh I love Animal Crossing (still!)

Yes! I have an Animal Crossing Switch, and I have an animal crossing keyboard. My boyfriend, he builds computers and keyboards. So he built me this for a present.

Oh, that’s so sweet!

You know, I was thinking about when your business is something that you love to do how do you draw that line between “do I do my hobby in the evening” or is that technically work? I like your criteria for distinguishing those things.

Or even if I feel really happy to start doing some art, if I start doing it and it feels – not like resistance because sometimes your body doesn’t want to do the thing – it’s like resisting your creativity. But if I feel laboured by it, if I feel like it feels like work, then I’m like, okay, I need to stop. Or if I’m pushing it too hard, like it’s 9.30pm / 10pm and I’m still trying to get this I’m like, okay, this is turning into work. I need to stop. 

I really like that approach. I might borrow it for myself.

It took me a while to get there because I was like, I don’t know when I’m allowed to paint. I decided, whenever I feel happy and inclined to do so.

I suppose it’s that thing – who’s it for is probably a really good filter question.

And even if it is a cat that I do want to draw for work, if it’s something where I’m not feeling pressured to make the final product a sellable item. I’m just feeling like it’s really fun to draw a cat in a teapot. Then I’m like, okay, I’m allowed to draw a cat and even if the intention is maybe to eventually sell it. But I’m not pushing that intention while I’m in the moment and I think it’s okay.

So can you finish this for me – if you really knew me, you’d know… 

I love talking to you, but I hate this question [laughs]. 

[laughs]

I really don’t know, because it changes. Umm… 

I feel like if you really know me, you know that I have food allergies. So I always have to pick the restaurant. So if you really know me, you’d know I have to pick the restaurant.

I’m on a bit of an allergy ‘adventure’ myself at the moment, so I’m quite interested in this.  Just in this last year, I’ve just started becoming allergic to things. I ended up in the hospital once.

I went through that five years ago, about junior year of college, all of a sudden I couldn’t eat a lot of things. My body was just like, now you’re done. It was like I told everybody, I wish I knew that I had a time limit. I would have enjoyed way different days. I didn’t know there was a time limit.

I always feel like I’m fine, but I have IBS, so a lot of my food allergies are exasperated by that. So like most people, I can’t have dairy. But I don’t know, it’s out there, but everyone’s like, “Oh, you take your lactose intolerance seriously”.

I’m like, “Yes, because I’ve been to the hospital because of it. So it’s not like I can’t breathe. It’s just like I feel like my insides are going to explode. 

There’s a lot of stuff that I can’t eat, but I’ve gotten accustomed to it and my boyfriend’s really into cooking. So he’s learn how to cook all the good things without the things I can’t have.

So this is the last question… do you have a favourite joke, or funny thing, or whatever? Humour comes in lots of forms.

I feel like most of the humour in my life comes from just joking around with my mom and my partner. But I like cat or animal jokes (obviously). I love those. And then dad jokes, puns and cringy things – I don’t mean to but I do a lot of dad jokes at my booth, with people at my shows, and they either laugh or look at me like you’re crazy [laughing] 

I sell this one cat pen that is a little pen that looks like a cat stretching and you take his butt off to draw with him. And like, some people think that’s hilarious. Some people don’t. But I also like to do ym Dad jokes with him, like “he’s hypoallergenic, he doesn’t need a litter box”. So those are normally my kinds of things.

All right. You ready? Did you hear about the cat that ate a whole ball of yarn?

What? [laughing] No.

They had a litter of mittens.

[laughing] I like that, it’s both a cat joke and a pun! Amazing!

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You can see more of Taylor’s art on her personal instagram and The Stray Shop instagram.  She also has an online shop where you can buy her adorable stickers, stationary, and even commission custom pet portraits.  You can also find her on Skillshare where she teaches animation with Procreate and After Effects, as well as art business skills.

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If you enjoyed this interview with Taylor Carroll, you might enjoy my other interviews with

• Elise Aabakken
• Françoise Blayac
• Vicky Jeffery
• Simone Michiels
• Jen Dixon