Kate Pugsley knew from the very start she wanted to be an artist. “My understanding of adult life and work was really limited, but I couldn’t imagine doing anything else as a career,” she told Freelance Wisdom.
Based in Chicago, Pugsley studied at RISD where she has earned a BFA in illustration, but it took her a while to fully commit to her passion. “I had a few different day jobs while painting nights and weekends,” she shared. “I finally decided a few years after college that illustration was what I really wanted to do, so I made it happen.”
Nowadays, she works full time as an illustrator, painter, and surface designer, with clients that include The New York Times, Bloomsbury Tiffany & Co., and Penguin Random House. “It’s not always an easy or secure job, but it can be very fun and rewarding,” she admitted.
She also runs an online store, where you can purchase her paintings and prints, made mostly with gouache and watercolor. Check out some of her creations in the gallery below:
