SEEDs of Success: Caitlin Hanna

Meet Caitlin, a neurodivergent, queer contemporary artist based in Perth and the founder of Wildeye Art.

Getting started

Caitlin started making art for their mental health from a young age, attending Art Angel, a creative space run for and by people with lived experiences of mental ill health. “ I was going through a lot at the time and when I first went there, a guy got out a massive sheet of paper and encouraged me to do something with it. I threw a cup of coffee at it, it was the first time I’d created something which wasn’t “pretty” I chucked everything at this bit of paper, it got the emotions out and it felt good.”

Now, Caitlin wants Wildeye to be as much about fuelling other people as it is about self-expression: If I knew of someone doing this when I was younger, I’d like to think that I would have been inspired to think I could do the same. Even back then, when I was doing art for my own mental health, it felt as though there was a whole false positivity around things and knowing there was someone out there who talks about a whole range of emotion, embracing it all, would have really helped.

“I think life has a lot of good things in it but everyone feels pain and suffering on some form. To be true to who you are, you need to be vulnerable and for some, the expression of this comes through talking, for some its music, for me, its Art. Having a healthy space to be creative is important.”

Caitlin often thinks about that first Art Angel experience and how cathartic it was. “Now I do make pretty images which are more controlled than that was, but it’s because I feel more in control of my life now.” 

The enterprise journey

Caitlin’s professional journey began in 2021, and since then, they’ve been fortunate to work on a diverse range of projects. From contributing to research on accessibility in higher education to their current role as a freelance creative practitioner at a local social enterprise, they’ve been constantly challenged and inspired.

“This role enables me to be open with young people, showing them that whilst I haven’t felt exactly as they feel, no one has, I’m an example that they can live the life they want,” Caitlin explains.

“I had one young person talk about not having Highers and that they were concerned about opportunities being closed to them – I explained that I was the same, yet I now have a degree in fine art and have my own creative practice.”

As a studio holder at the Creative Exchange in Perth, made possible with SEED funding, Caitlin is also thrilled to be part of a vibrant community of artists and to have a space to call their own.

Caitlin says: “My creative work leans towards confessions, focusing on my emotions and life experiences. Text appears a lot in my work, as I not only believe that imagery is an art, but that language is as well. I would say I'm a contemporary artist and focus on the message or feeling I'm trying to convey more than the media.

“Wildeye is showing expression about emotions, feelings, lived experiences and its an embodiment of vulnerability and aims to be a community too, to bring people in.”

Support along the way

After graduating, Caitlin secured a Kickstarter position with Helen O’Brian at Creative Catalyst. “At this point, I didn’t think I could be self-employed and have a business, it all sounded so complicated and unfeasible, and I certainly didn’t think I’d be able to earn money from doing so,” they said.

“However, Helen encouraged me gently and I realised that it is actually relatively easy – I do have to work hard but this fits with how I live my life, what I’m interested in, how I can express myself freely, its absolutely worth it. I realised that I would have more control over my life, my energy levels, what I did and most importantly, what made me happy and well – mentally and physically.”

Helen also introduced Caitlin to GrowBiz and the SEED programme: “You’ve been great at practical help – one of the things which sticks in my mind was preparing for my first self-assessment submission. I felt very lost with this at first.

“The funding support for my studio space has been great too. Having a studio gives me a dedicated space to work in where I can focus solely on my art and business, so I can turn my work brain off at home. It's also a confirmation that this is my business, and I'm not just working on an expensive hobby from my spare room! Being in a building dedicated to and surrounded by other artists gives me access to their support and expertise that will help my business grow, it's also a wee creative community I'm now apart of. 

“I like just knowing that if I have any questions or difficulties about being self-employed, I can send an email or chat to you about it. It is really helpful.”

Caitlin has also found GrowBiz to be a help with the admin and self promotion that they naturally struggle with. “You’ve explained things or directed me to one of your courses about the topic, they’re really good. They’ve also helped me to realise that many people feel the same – it’s really easy to assume that everyone else knows what they’re doing but in speaking to others I’ve learned that everyone is the same, we’ve all got skills in some areas and skills to learn in other areas.”

Looking to the future

Caitlin enjoys connecting with others at exhibitions and open studios. “I’ve had people come up and say, “I didn’t know how to word that feeling” or “I totally get that, it really speaks to me,” so my work helps people feel seen and recognised. This is really important to me.

“Having my work out there for people to see is great, but the connection and impact made with this, that we’re all human beings with complex emotions and shared experience is a significant aspect in my artistic practice.”

They say their greatest achievement is that they’re still here doing what they love: “There have been challenging times, but I’ve stepped up – I’ve applied for funding, I’ve applied for exhibitions, and I’m exploring what works for me. Being self employed isn’t an easy choice but it provides control and direction of your life and I’m proud of this.”

For any aspiring entrepreneurs, they advise: “Look at the support around, contact GrowBiz to talk about initial idea and have someone to bounce it off with who isn’t going to either shoot it down or unnecessarily build it up, because it needs to be a mix. Get support around you. And make sure it’s something you love and care about.

Finally, we asked Caitlin what they would have liked to achieve in ten years time?

“I’d like to see that I’ve made an impact with my work. That I’ve found a rhythm in balancing my creative practice with sharing it with the world, and that this has led to exhibitions, public commissions, and opportunities to connect with others through my art, conversations, and workshops”

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