We had the good fortune of connecting with Mattie Cagle and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Mattie, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am from Ellijay, a small mountain town in North Georgia. I learned very quickly that there were few job opportunities for me in my rural hometown. I decided to head to the city. Growing up in a small town is a big part of who I am. When I made the move to Atlanta and started attending school, I was hesitant to state where I was from even though my southern accent did that for me. Coming from a small town, my challenge was to have an artistic career and not conform to what my peer group thought I should choose as my career. Moving to Atlanta was definitely a positive experience for me. I learned how welcoming this community can be to people and the different ways they express themselves. I was very lucky to have a supportive family that always inspired me to go after a career in graphic design even when others back home didn’t understand it.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Coming from a small town I never really knew that I could turn my art into a career. I never heard “Graphic designer” as a career choice. The first challenge that I faced was convincing myself I was doing the right thing in pursuing a creative career. Not only am I a graphic designer, but I also consider myself an illustrator and hand lettering artist. I started as an illustrator doing random commissions for people I knew but figured out quickly that wasn’t where my passion was because I was never satisfied with what I thought the customer wanted. I wanted to create my own brand. That’s when I discovered hand lettering. I started with simple hand lettered signs, but moved onto wedding signs and menus. This is where my business really grew. I started small and began with hand lettering signs, prints, and commissions. After attending school and working in my sister’s promo shop, I learned more about branding and screen printing. From there I created my own brand: Mattie V Cagle Design. This was a huge turning point for my small business. I now have a name and an image. Mattie V Cagle Design stands for creating meaningful, valuable, and committed relationships with customers. Now I offer many freelancing services such as branding as well as my own prints and t-shirts I’ve designed. Growing my business was not easy, but I had many people that believed in me and helped me along the way. It takes time to build your brand to be exactly what you want. Create art for you, not for somebody else.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I think to start the day I would take them out for breakfast at The White House Restaurant. My boyfriend and I fell in love with their food and the service. They’re always the sweetest people. Next, I think I would grab a coffee from Starbucks and plan a picnic in Piedmont park. If you’re into people watching and enjoying the sunshine it’s a great place to end up. To end the day, I would suggest dinner and drinks at The Vortex Bar and Grill in Midtown. I’d probably end up showing them my school: The Art Institute of Atlanta. More places I’d love to share that have a special place in my heart are The Select in Sandy Springs which is a great dinner spot and Centennial Olympic Park for obvious reasons.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I dedicate my success and growth mostly to my mother and grandmother. These two strong, determined women have given me the most support on this journey. They both worked in the education system so they were always encouraging me to pursue my dreams. After my grandmother passed in January 2021, there was one thing said during her funeral that I keep repeating to myself: “Have a mind that never ceases to learn.” She taught me to keep an opened mind, but to never be afraid to speak up for yourself. My mom taught me how to turn negatives into positives and to never fear change. I hope to be as successful and compassionate as them one day.
Website: https://mattievcagledesign.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattievcagledesign/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattie-cagle-0411a71a7/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattie.cagle.9/