Creative Career Stories: Cathy Olmedillas

Cathy Olmedillas is the founder of Studio Anorak, an independent publishing house which produces two happy magazines for kids.

The aim of all of Anorak’s creative endeavours is to tap into a child’s imagination and encourage them to use creativity to amplify their voice.

What I Do

I devise, write, commission and art direct every issue of both Anorak and DOT as well as running Studio Anorak, which works with like-minded brands to create fun pieces of educational communication for families.

School Days

I loved primary school because we did so many hands-on things such as making puppets, knitting, drawing and drama. I can clearly remember learning how to write too and I was hooked! 

When I entered secondary school, I had to choose specific subjects and - as I was deemed not great at drawing - I couldn't pick anything 'arty'. There ended my pursuit of creativity… for a little while anyway! I did English,  philosophy, history, a couple of languages and economics (mostly to keep my parents happy). I enjoyed them, but they all promoted analytical skills rather than creativity. Even English was about studying a story rather than inventing one. 

Launching My Own Magazine

After leaving school, I worked on the commercial side of the magazine industry in the 1990s and then later on in the advertising industry as a producer. I was using very few creative skills there but in the early 2000s, I became a Mum and that unleashed a desire to do something that I loved.

"

In the early 2000s, I became a Mum and that unleashed a desire to do something that I loved.

Anorak was born in 2006. At first, I had an editor and an art director doing all the creative stuff. Soon, I realised I couldn't afford them and decided to take it all on myself. It was a momentous decision as I had been observing the creative process for so long but had never really taken part in it. That jump felt so brave but so right at the time that I had to do it.

Creativity Is Magical

It wasn’t until I had taken this big dive into putting Anorak magazine together myself that I realised that actually… I was creative! The biggest challenge I have faced has been to trust my ability to write and have a creative vision. It took me a while to accept and embrace that I had creative skills. I overcame these early insecurities by writing, commissioning, sketching and making.

Now, I cannot imagine my life without a great big creative adventure at the heart of it. I have learnt to follow my instincts and not listen to any external or internal judgemental voices. I have also learnt that creativity is a magical process that all of us can benefit from.

Follow Anorak: Website & Instagram

This article was originally published by Make Bank - a social project now run by Agents for Change. Find out more here.

© Diversifying Illustration CIC - Registered Company Number: 13651546