CJ Hendry is one of the world’s most successful working artists. But she didn’t go to art school. She didn’t have a plan. And for a long time, she didn’t even call herself an artist.

She was a uni dropout working in retail, with a side obsession for beautiful things. One day she sold her entire wardrobe on eBay, bought some pencils and paper, and started to draw. She shared her work online. Then Kanye West bought one of her pieces. And everything changed.

In this conversation, CJ tells Kate Langbroek how she built a global art business from scratch, without a gallery, a degree, or any of the traditional paths artists are expected to follow. She talks about the moment the Andy Warhol Foundation threatened to sue her, and how she turned it into an international scavenger hunt. She opens up about marriage, motherhood, money, and why Sundays nearly break her. And she shares how a rebrand in Year 5 became the first step in becoming who she is now.

CJ also makes a major announcement during this episode — one that her fans will not want to miss.

Whether you’ve never heard of CJ or have been following her work for years, this is the story of what can happen when someone doesn’t wait for permission.

You can follow CJ Hendry here.

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CREDITS:

Guest: CJ Hendry

Host: Kate Langbroek

Executive Producer: Naima Brown

Senior Producer: Bree Player

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

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