Today we’d like to introduce you to Cady Driver.
Hi Cady, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Since childhood, I’ve always had a strong propensity for art. I remember in 2nd grade drawing a perfectly symmetrical rainbow that made my friends oooh and ahhh, and being immensely proud of it, Throughout high school, drawing and art were intensely fascinating for me and I so desired to go to an art school and get a degree….But life happens. An early marriage and three small babies within three years in my early twenties made it simply impossible to pursue a degree, even as I longingly drive-by gazed at Paier Collage of Art, which, at the time, was in my hometown in CT.
So, with an infant strapped to my chest and two toddlers, I hit up the library for books. I’d teach myself! At the time, we were very poor and lived in a tiny cape cod house in CT, and I set up my “art studio” in the damp, unfinished basement right next to the ancient metal behemoth of an oil furnace that heated our house. When that thing started up suddenly, I’d jump and ended up ruining whatever I was working on at the moment.
A fast learner, I quickly started picking up jobs painting murals in local hospitals, doctor’s offices and private residences. Craft shows brought in some small spending money and in between nap times and bottles, I did my best to learn what I could glean.
Moving down to Raleigh as a family provided a huge jump in my career as my interest in watercolors blossomed and the Raleigh arts scene was hopping. Very soon, I was earning show awards and started illustrating children’s books.
I do think that any real artist should never be content doing the same thing, and wherever I could find inspiration, I was there for it. I started children’s portraiture, pet portraits, commissions, shows, galleries, etc.
Soon, I was picked up by The Leonard Collection to become a licensed freelanced artist and my work has sold in High Point, Atlanta and high end furniture markets. After 6 years of working for that company, I left and found a job with Stupell Industries where my work was very quickly picked up by major retailers like Target, Wayfair, Bed Bath and Beyond, Walmart and more.
My dream job, through, was being accepted into Museum Quality Art recently and my love for fine art and creativity continues to grow and be inspired by the masters.
Of course, I’m never satisfied to stay in one place, and I started oil classes, which I love, but I think watercolors will always be my first love.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Juggling motherhood and art has certainly been interesting. I found that NOT having a degree certainly set me at the “bottom” during art events and within the arts community. I am of the opinion that while an arts degree can be useful, it’s not completely necessary to become a talented artist within your own sphere of interest.
Later in my motherhood, we decided to adopt a small boy with Down syndrome and I was completely ready to give up art, if need be, to meet his needs. Painting birds on antique hymnal pages and selling them helped us pay our adoption fees and imagine my surprise within the adoption community when these unique prints became so popular that not only did they help US with our fees, I decided to let other adopting families sell the prints and keep 100% of the profits for their adoptions. Hence, Fly Home Fundraising was found and it has raised over $150,000 for families that are adopting children with disabilities worldwide.
What a blessing to be a small part of helping children who have severe disabilities, languishing in orphanages to be able to find homes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
After adopting a boy with Down syndrome, I currently teach art to adults with Down syndrome at Gigi’s Playhouse in Cary. Gigi’s Playhouse is a nationwide organization that provides quality programs for people of all ages with Down syndrome completely free of charge.
Seeing these sweet people show such intense interest in the artistic process has been SO much fun. Some participants who are non-verbal simply light up when quality art instruction is placed before them, and their art has truly been beautiful. We did an art class with Gigi’s participants and the Raleigh PD where the officers and the adults with Down syndrome painted together as a community outreach and their artwork is now hung in various precincts throughout Raleigh.
Seeing the joy and experiencing each person’s very specific artistic choices has been a source of light in the community.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Raleigh has a thriving and vibrant arts scene from Artsplosure to Artspace to The Raleigh Arts Commission, and the amount of galleries that are simply bursting with talented artist’s work is mind-bending. The First Friday art walk has always been a favorite pastime.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ArtByCady.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cady.driver_artist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076612419938
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/cadysart/
