Today we’d like to introduce you to Caillete Rose Ashthorn.
Hi Caillete Rose, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started making art as a young child. I had a challenging start; by the time I was in elementary school, I’d already faced domestic childhood torture, abuse, and poverty. I lost myself in creativity, becoming a musician & a writer as early as I could as well.
My art started with doodles and stick figures like everyone’s does, then sometime later I found “How to draw” books at the library, and I’d lose myself in those for hours.
Despite our financial challenges, my mother supported my passions as best she could, getting me art supplies whenever she was able. By middle school I began selling my art. My first commission was a rose in oil pastel for a family friend.
In high school, I started at a magnet school and chose to pursue music instead of art, and eventually music gave way to science. I went on to earn two bachelor’s degrees, one in Anthropology and one in Biology. During my college years, I’d had an accident that broke my left arm, causing nerve damage and aggravating my CPTSD. I became unable to drive or play music, and I returned to art as my outlet.
Soon I created Caillete Creatives as a way to turn my hobby into income while also getting to share my work with others. At this time, I was on track to be an archaeology field tech with a side gig as a creative business.
Unfortunately, life had some other plans.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
To be honest, the road has been about as smooth as the streets of Baltimore; the potholes have been intense.
I’ve had Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) since I was very young and for a while I focused on trying to make money as an artist, turning my hobby into a business. I unfortunately struggled to keep up with the responsibilities of being a one-man business. Still, it was going alright for a while, or as alright as could be expected considering.
Then I developed Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), and it combined with my other conditions decided for me that the business route wasn’t for me. At this same time, I became unable to do the work needed to be an archaeology field tech. My physical health, which I’d prided myself on, had suddenly failed me.
I became incredibly depressed for a while, feeling like my life was over as I went from a healthy person in their mid-twenties to someone who is primarily housebound and an ambulatory wheelchair user.
This is where I turned to my art and my writing again. This time to cope with my new life and share the reality of what its like living with DID/CPTSD and FND. This time, however, rather than trying to make myself a one-man business overnight, I decided to focus on my art as a passion, whether or not I can make money from it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I don’t specialize in just one thing; I like to try a bit of everything when I can. I enjoy mixing mediums such as charcoal, ink, and pastel. I also enjoy mixing digital art with traditional art. As for my style, I draw everything from cartoons to semi-realism. I’m especially proud of my charcoal pieces; these are typically done in a semi-realistic style and often showcase some of my darkest work. These hold a special place in my portfolio, and I don’t sell the originals unless they are made explicitly for sale or are a commission.
My writing has a similar range to my art, with genres ranging from poetry to fiction and blogs. My poetry and blogs are often very personal, reflecting on my emotions, thoughts, feelings, and life in general. Most of my fiction explores these same themes through fantasy, horror, and sci-fi.
What’s next?
With my disabilities as they have progressed, my plans for the future include increasing the amount my art focuses on disability awareness and education. I want to create things that make other disabled people, their caregivers, and their loved ones feel seen. This may look very different than how I started, but it’s beautiful. I also plan to focus more on combining my art and my writing into one cohesive piece.
My current long-term project is a comic about DID/CPTSD. This project was conceptualized years ago, but I never did anything with it. Now, though, it’s important to me that I work on this no matter how long it takes me or how slow the progress is. The release date is currently unknown.
Pricing:
- Poetry $12 (100 Words)
- Article Writing & World Building $30 (600 Words)
- Digital Art (300ppi) $65
- Charcoal Art (Black& White or Color) $100 (11 x 14)
- Charcoal Art (Color) $120+ (11×14in or Larger)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecailletecallective.wordpress.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cailletecreatives/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cailletecreatives/
- Other: https://www.deviantart.com/cailletecreatives/gallery
