From Control to Freedom:
How Catherine creates art as a safe anchor for those who don’t always feel safe - yet.
Dive into a curated collection of the inspiring people that worked with me and the impactful work they are doing by following their heart and curiosity.
Words
Bibi Timmerman
Catherine is a 34-year-old illustrator living a free, nature-connected life in the southwest of Portugal. She chases waves, collects sunsets, and creates art that feels like a quiet exhale. But this sense of freedom wasn’t always there.
She grew up in a vibrant household with four children and endlessly creative parents. Her childhood was filled with imagination and making - drawing, building, crafting tiny worlds out of cardboard and scrap material. Her mother remembers her sitting quietly in a corner, completely absorbed in her own universe. “I would sit by the window with a bowl of food I made for myself, look at the sky or the street, and just dream,” she says. “It felt like a private world where anything was possible.”
Her twin brother, bold and expressive, was always nearby - drawing war scenes, fearless and loud. Catherine, more introverted, often felt like the observer. Being a twin meant she was never really alone, but also made it hard to discover who she was without someone next to her. She felt safest when someone was close by.
As a child, her art became a way to find control and quiet within the chaos. She built dioramas, tiny homes, and carefully crafted miniature worlds. These weren't just play - they were containers of safety, boundaries she could trust. But over time, that need for control deepened. She struggled with eating disorders, and those years were marked by silence, invisibility, and fear.
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Recovery was a long, painful journey, but it changed everything. “I’ve learned I don’t need to be perfect to be valuable,” Catherine says. “What used to be a life of control and fear has slowly become one of choice and freedom. I’m learning to take up space and believe I am enough - just as I am.”
During her healing process, Catherine was offered the chance to start her own illustration business through a local support program. It was a turning point. She began sharing her work online, connecting with others, and slowly reclaiming her creative voice. Drawing wasn’t just a coping mechanism anymore - it became a way home.
For years, she worked as an illustrator for international clients. It was good work, but something was missing. “I wanted to touch people with my art, but I didn’t know how. I was hiding behind the work, afraid to show myself as an artist.”
Then came a realization: “In the outside world, I feel scared - of opinions, rejection, never being enough. But when I draw, that fear disappears. I feel calm. Whole. It’s the only thing I can do completely alone, and feel completely safe. My inner critic goes quiet, just for a while. In my drawings, everything is possible. That’s when I understood, maybe it’s time to feel safe in the outside world too.”
Today, Catherine creates art that acts as a ‘safe haven’ - for herself, and for others.
Her illustrations are quiet, imagined places where people can rest. For anyone who feels like they don’t quite belong.
Words
Catherine is a 34-year-old illustrator living a free, nature-connected life in the southwest of Portugal. She chases waves, collects sunsets, and creates art that feels like a quiet exhale. But this sense of freedom wasn’t always there.
She grew up in a vibrant household with four children and endlessly creative parents. Her childhood was filled with imagination and making - drawing, building, crafting tiny worlds out of cardboard and scrap material. Her mother remembers her sitting quietly in a corner, completely absorbed in her own universe. “I would sit by the window with a bowl of food I made for myself, look at the sky or the street, and just dream,” she says. “It felt like a private world where anything was possible.”
Her twin brother, bold and expressive, was always nearby - drawing war scenes, fearless and loud. Catherine, more introverted, often felt like the observer. Being a twin meant she was never really alone, but also made it hard to discover who she was without someone next to her. She felt safest when someone was close by.
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Her work offers a gentle reminder: you’re not alone. You deserve to feel safe, and you will find your place in this world.
Her mission is simple but powerful: To create safe little imaginary worlds for people who don’t always feel safe in the big one we live in.
Because if she’s learned to feel free and safe - maybe, just maybe, you can too.
Recovery was a long, painful journey, but it changed everything. “I’ve learned I don’t need to be perfect to be valuable,” Catherine says. “What used to be a life of control and fear has slowly become one of choice and freedom. I’m learning to take up space and believe I am enough - just as I am.”
During her healing process, Catherine was offered the chance to start her own illustration business through a local support program. It was a turning point. She began sharing her work online, connecting with others, and slowly reclaiming her creative voice. Drawing wasn’t just a coping mechanism anymore - it became a way home.
For years, she worked as an illustrator for international clients. It was good work, but something was missing. “I wanted to touch people with my art, but I didn’t know how. I was hiding behind the work, afraid to show myself as an artist.”
Then came a realization: “In the outside world, I feel scared - of opinions, rejection, never being enough. But when I draw, that fear disappears. I feel calm. Whole. It’s the only thing I can do completely alone, and feel completely safe. My inner critic goes quiet, just for a while. In my drawings, everything is possible. That’s when I understood, maybe it’s time to feel safe in the outside world too.”
Today, Catherine creates art
that acts as a ‘safe haven’ - for herself, and for others.
Her illustrations are quiet, imagined places where people can rest. For anyone who feels like they don’t quite belong.
