Meet Angie Quintanilla Coates | Artist and Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Angie Quintanilla Coates and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
A big part of my business strategy is looking after my mental, physical and spiritual health. This is often my no.1 priority. I believe I’m able to do my best work, be creative and make savvy business decisions because I fiercely protect my most valuable resource: me! It seems self-indulgent but as a small business owner, I know I can’t afford to not look after myself. I work hard and rest hard. Everything else you can learn and figure out along the way. Success shouldn’t come at the expense of our health. Sometimes that means I sacrifice growing my business. But growth for the sake of growth has never interested me. True success for me is having enough without burnout. That’s what I strive for and thankfully, it’s been working great so far! I’m very grateful for the success I’ve had with my creative practice without having to compromise my health.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started selling products when we adopted our dog, Meatball. I was so enamoured with the rescue organization we adopted her from (shoutout to PB&Chi in Canada!) that I decided to create enamel pins for them as a fundraiser. The pins grew in popularity, and soon people were requesting new designs. I always dreamt of owning my own business, and with the success of the enamel pins, I finally decided to take the jump. I started working with my amazing business coach who reminded me, ‘what’s the worst that can happen?’. The biggest lesson I learned here and I take with me in everything I do, is that if you are passionate about what you do, work hard and put yourself out there, the rest will often fall into place. If it doesn’t, it’s still a win because we got to pursue what we love most. I try and trust that if I’m passionate about something, other people will resonate with it. My biggest wish is that people can find a joyful reprieve through my art and products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Our first stop will be for coffee and an oatmeal blueberry muffin from JJ Bean. Then, I will take you on any of the nearby trails -we’re partial to Sasamat Lake, Shoreline Trail and Pacific Spirit Park- for a nice hike in the woods, with our dog Meatball, of course. We could later visit a friend’s studio or gallery to view cool art. We’ll visit Granville Island, get art supplies at Opus, then head over to Make Vancouver to purchase the coolest gifts designedly local artists (like me!). A stop at Massy Books is mandatory. And lastly, we’ll eat the best sushi (there’s too many amazing places to list!) and tacos in Port Moody.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I really do believe we need community to thrive! I’m living proof. I have two amazing mentors who have been instrumental in my business journey and art practice: Susan Washington at thewashingtongroup.ca and Pennylane Shane at dazedandconfucius.com
I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without their guidance and support! This is truly the definition of women supporting women!
A book that changed my creative practice forever is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
And lastly my partner in life, Geoff Coates (@Geoff.coates on Instagram). He’s also an artist and has encouraged me to pursue a career in art from day one. His support and encouragement are definitely a big reason why I am where I am today.

Website: www.thefive15.com

Instagram: @thefive15

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefive15