Meet Catherine A. Moore | Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine A. Moore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine A., what do you attribute your success to?
I think the most important factor behind my success is only accepting projects that are a good fit for my interests and skills. Projects that are not a good fit (and a good fit includes having a responsible client that is enjoyable to work with!) may not reflect well on your portfolio, and can take your energy away from better projects. I was lucky that some of my early “good fit” projects were widely shared and attracted enough attention that I was able to get future work from them. Good work begets good work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an illustrator who works in a photorealistic style in graphite, watercolor, and pastel/colored pencil. What sets my work apart is the attention to light, value contrast, and detail, and, with my portrait work, the ability to capture an accurate likeness, expression, and emotion. Originally, I graduated college as a Psychology major, and had a quarter-life crisis in which I returned to art. I was afraid that if I didn’t pursue art seriously, I wouldn’t have time in my life for it at all. It’s the best and bravest decision I’ve ever made. I went on to get my MFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. The first years in business were very tough to make ends meet. I had a lot of luck and also worked very hard at building a quality portfolio and advertising. I now teach as an Associate Professor at a college in Georgia, as well as run my freelance business. I love teaching, which gives me lots of freedom with my time and creativity.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is full of fun things… I have a toddler, so a lot of my favorite places right now are the kid-friendly ones!

-The Atlanta Zoo in Grant Park is a great time… they even have panda twins!

-The Aquarium downtown is the largest in the southeast… and they have a whale shark!

-Hiking at Red Top Mountain, Kennesaw, Stone Mountain, the Fernbank Museum, and Sweetwater Park

-Favorite places to eat include Argosy, Lifting Noodles Ramen, Victory Sandwich Bar, Poor Hendrix, and Holy Taco, and brunch specifically at Ria’s Bluebird and General Muir

-Checking out the many festivals here in the spring and summer

-Biking and walking on the South Peachtree Creek trail, and the Westside Trail of the Atlanta Beltline… we’re the city of trees and the weather is great 80% of the time, so being anywhere outdoors is great!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are too many people to thank! My professor Linda Warner Constantino taught me everything I know about watercolor, and helped improve my portrait skills dramatically. Without her guidance in improving my skill, I wouldn’t have been able to succeed in my field. My friend Krishna Chavda has been a constant support, and I can send her anything I’m working on for her constructive feedback. Our continuous dialogue about our business and projects fuels me and motivates me to keep going. Finally, a shout out to The Washington Post Design Director Chris Rukan, who kept a postcard I sent him and gave me my first job there. I’ve had so many incredible projects from WaPo and love working with all the art directors on their team.

Website: www.catherineamoore.com

Instagram: catamooreart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-a-moore-67bb1323/

Twitter: catamooreart

Facebook: catamooreart

Other: Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/catherineamoore