Wednesday Indie Artist Fixx with Kathy Cano-Murillo, the Crafty Chica!

I am very honored to have been able to interview the Dona of Craft herself, Kathy Cano-Murillo for the Indie Artist Fixx this week. Kathy is one-half of the artistic duo over at Chicano Pop Art and is also the Crafty Chica. She is part artist, teacher, writer, crafter, businesswoman, wife and momma with a huge infectious personality to match. I think of her as the momma to the whole crafty/DIY/indie movement. I hope she doesn’t mind taking care of all of us!

Kathy and Patrick (her hubby) are the artists behind Chicano Pop Art and I just love their Latin-infused art and craft. My Latina friends always tease me and tell me that I have some Latina blood in me, because I love Central & South American art, culture and literature so much. I am thinking that I just may have to add a few of the Chicano Pop Art prints to collection.

Kathy is also the resident expert over at Crafty Chica. She offers crafting tips and inspiration via books, tv shows, her website and more. She has even done a crafting cruise and there is another in the works.

Kathy is one one red hot crafting talent and a super interesting person. Learn more about her in her own words below.

1. What’s the name of your business and what do create and sell?

I have two businesses – The first is Chicano Pop Art, my husband and I launched this in 1990. We make and sell Latinocentric home decor items, jewelry, all kinds of things! We are still going strong! My second is Crafty Chica, this is about me as a crafty expert – authoring craft books, designing craft projects for people to make, demo-ing projects. Basically, my first business is about making art, and the second is about teaching others to make their own art.

2. How and why did you get your start?

My husband and I vowed on our wedding night that we would – someway or another – live an artful life. He is a musician and artist, I’m a writer and artist. Between those three professions, we’ve been able to keep our vow! It has taken a lot of hustling for gigs like concert, workshops, sales to stores, etc, but it is so worth it!

3. Is there anything you can share with other indie business owners who are just taking the plunge with their own business?

You really have to make something that represents your personality, and is different from everything else out there. Try to set trends instead of following them. Next, make sure you know and love what you make – don’t do it just to make money. It really does take a while to actually bring in a steady income. you have to do it because you love it, and that may mean keeping your day job, and making your art at night and on the weekends. I worked as an entertainment reporter for 13 years, and did my art at the same time. You never want to get in a position where you begin to dread making art. It should always be your escape! Next, it is important to build a platform to promote yourself.

4. What’s the best thing about what you do? And the worst?

The best thing is that after all these years of hard work, everything has fallen into place. I now work for Duncan Enterprises designing my own Crafty Chica product line that will be on sale in stores all over the country next spring. I work from home, so I have more time with my husband. I love that I get paid to make art, and make products to inspire other people to make art! The worst thing is that sometimes I feel like I’m crafting 24/7. By day I work on my product line, by night I work on my next craft books, or orders. Sometimes I feel “crafted out” and just want to go sit down and do a page of my kids’ math homework. But I recently started Spanish lessons, so I can have something to balance it all out.

5. Tell us one funny/goofy/silly thing about yourself.

I get sidetracked really easy when I get excited. I’ll be on deadline for something and then all of a sudden, I’ll be like “Hey, I think I’ll stucco the fireplace real quick!” and I really drop what I’m doing and stucco the fireplace – and still manage to meet the deadline! One time last week, I thought of an idea I loved so much,I could not get the words out of my mouth to tell my husband. He thought I was hyperventilating, and made me sit down. I took a deep breath and relaxed a second and then told him my idea.

6. Do you have any future plans for your business that you would like to share?

Well, the biggest thing for my future is the Crafty Chica product line! All these years of making my arts and crafts, I’ve learned all kinds of techniques and different uses for everyday products. I’m spilling all my secrets through the line! And my husband i s doing all the artwork, so people can use it to make their own pieces. There are 105 items on the line! And because I dabble in everything, the line has everything from paints and stencils to glitter and high gloss varnish.

7. What blogs and mags do you read and what shops do you shop at? List as many as you want.

I have too many to list! I have three pages of Google desktops with blogs but here goes!

PerezHilton, GuanaBee, DListed, Entertainment Weekly, Craft Zine, Latina Lista, Adorn Magazine, Word a Day, Extreme Craft

And all my firends: Jennifer Perkins, Vickie Howell, Margot Potter, Mary Castillo, Alisa Valdes Rodriguez, La Yoli.

8. Were you an artsy craftsy kid? If so, what kinds of things did you do?

I was big on colored markers, but in second grade I got a bad grade in art class and it made me not want to try and do art because I thought i was bad at it. in high school, my crafty genes clicked in by way of posters and collages.

9. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Ben & Jerry’s Brownie Fudge!

10. What does indie mean to you? You can give a literal definition, choose to be a little esoteric or a combination of both. 😉

Indie means doing it yourself, not corporate owned. It means matching the big guys in your own way.

11. What are your inspirations?

Always keeping things fresh. Reinvention! As far as design, I love my Mexican-American culture and I love making art that celebrates it.

12. What you are doing new that you want everyone to know about?

I spent two and a half years writing my first novel. It is called “Love Shine”. It went up for sale to editors this summer, three houses bid on it and I walked away with a two book deal with Grand Central Publishing! It comes out as a summer read in 2009. I’m also finishing up my seventh craft book, it is a sewing book for Potter Craft, also out in 2009.

This week through Oct 6th, two of my jewelry pieces are on sale at Target.com!

Any day now, my new webisode series, “Crafting With the Chica” debuts on LifetimeTV.com!

Last and most important!!! I have a Crafty Chica Crafty Cruise coming up in March. It is only $600 for everything and includes 6 workshops,all your supplies, room and board, food, tips and two free cocktail parties!! All the info is on my web site!