(gentle music) - Hello, my name is Catarina Orellana and I am a illustrator and digital artist.

(gentle music) I have been drawing since I was maybe three years old and I've always loved it.

That is who I am.

I love drawing.

(gentle music) This is the first book cover that I ever made someone.

It's for Nelsyn Carlson.

When I started posting on Instagram, I had a few posts go viral and she reached out to me with a commission request and I was a little nervous, but I took it and it just turned out so beautiful.

Social media, I feel like is just such a good place to find your start.

You can be anywhere in the world.

(gentle music) I mostly do commissions for books.

I have worked with Harper Collins, I have worked with Penguin Random House multiple times, a variety of independent authors.

I'm currently working with a Australian author on a couple of pieces for their upcoming novel.

I'm very excited about that.

I definitely prefer digital artwork.

There's just so many options.

You can do so much with it, which I think is just wonderful.

There's all sorts of software that you can use.

I have Mr.

Ollie, he's a good cat though.

(playful music) When I draw, I escape into it.

I'm just able to draw for hours without realizing, and I genuinely love the work that I do.

I don't see it as a nine to five at all.

(playful music) Faces are my specialty, or more so portraits.

I love capturing emotion and beauty and hair.

I feel like every face is so unique.

I'm able to do a lot with that.

And I love, like the old JC Leyendecker style.

That's one of my favorites, like with the body language and like the coloring and just how everything is set up, that is my favorite illustration style.

So when you're an artist, you're always growing, you're always learning new techniques and I really try to do that every day.

I'm always drawing every single day.

(bright music) I am half Guatemalan.

I know some of my heritage.

I did grow up in a bilingual household, so I do speak both English and Spanish.

Here in Willmar, Minnesota.

It's a lot of people say my name as Caterina or without the accent, but growing up my name was always Catarina and I resonate with that.

My amazing parents, they really supported me and all of the artwork that I did.

And then I have my amazing AP art teacher.

This was the first art class that I took when I was in high school.

Her name is Jessalyn Canavan, most amazing teacher that I've ever had.

And I got a award of excellence.

It was for tri-state art competition and I won first place.

(bright music) I feel like I just love these creative jobs.

I bake two mornings a week, usually, at my favorite place other than home here with my family, and that is Lulu Beans coffee house.

(bright music) I go in really, really early and I get to bake the rolls and the cookies and the muffins and I just love doing that.

I have a artwork display there.

We have a area, a special room for artists that also work there.

So a lot of my fellow baristas, they have some of their artwork pieces there.

I have mine there.

So this is the art piece that I created for Lulu Beans specifically.

Someone who actually works here posed for me and I really love it.

(bright music) I had a cousin reach out to me, I guess I had made a card when I was pretty young.

I was around maybe like three or four years old, but they sent a card.

"We always knew you were destined for great things.

We can't wait to see where your art takes you.

Keep following your passion.

Much love, Kari."

I had so much family love and support around my artwork.

I was always given the tools and the time and the resources to do so and this is proof of that.

I'm very happy to share this with you today.

There was a piece that I created, a portrait of a woman crying when I was really low after had my daughter.

I drew that to signify what I was going through as a postpartum mother and that helped me in some ways.

I feel like it's hard to do anything as mom.

(laughing) There are obstacles and battles that come with having a career and also raising a child.

But my daughter gives me so much inspiration and hope.

Being a mom and choosing to have a career and parenting, there's always going to be that struggle in balance.

But I always try to make my daughter a priority in my life.

This is my fiance, Colton, and we've been together for about eight years.

- Yeah.

- He's been a huge support of all of my creative endeavors.

He could be at work, but I'm happy that he stayed home.

So yeah.

- Yeah, not gonna miss this.

(soft music) - I had a great aunt who was an artist herself and she genuinely loved the craft and she loved that I loved to draw and create.

She unfortunately died due to cancer when I was pretty young and I still continue to draw because of her and I know that that is what she would want for me, so I'm doing what I can show her that I can do this.

(gentle music) (bright music) - [Announcer] Postcards is made possible by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the citizens of Minnesota.

Additional support provided by: Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Mark and Margaret Yackel-Juleen on behalf of Shalom Hill Farms, a retreat and conference center in a prairie setting near Windom, Minnesota.

On the web at shalomhillfarm.org.

Alexandria, Minnesota, a year-round destination with hundreds of lakes, trails, and attractions for memorable vacations and events.

More information at explorealex.com.

A better future starts now.

West Central Initiative empowers communities with resources, funding, and support for a thriving region.

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