We love to see our founders go on to do great things, and this is exactly the case for Perthshire based photographer, Cat Burton.

What originated as a hobby has since flourished into a full-time successful business, with recent profile-raising activities including a four-day exhibition at Birmingham’s The Photography Show.

Cat always had a passion for photography, but with a degree in technical specialism, she initially pursued a career as a programmer in the video games industry, working on high profile games such as ‘Moshi monsters’. Her love for photography reignited whilst backpacking overseas and running her freelance software engineering business. Engrossed by beautiful surroundings, Cat spent increasing amounts of time snapping picturesque landscapes in Australia and New Zealand, channelling her inspiration for all things nature and fantasy.

It wasn’t until 2017 that the self-taught photographer decided to return to Perthshire, Scotland to fulfil her photography future and pursue her fine artwork career full-time.

Cat secured a place on The Famous Grouse Idea Centre (FGIC) Accelerator, powered by Elevator in 2018. Part of the Accelerator’s first cohort, where she was immersed in a collaborative and vibrant environment with fellow ambitious entrepreneurs. The fully-funded programme, specifically designed for creative businesses, covers a wide range of entrepreneurial themes and allowed Cat to excel her business forward thanks to the advice received from her dedicated mentor.

Commenting on her experience, Cat said: “I acquired many new business skills and contacts during the 12-week programme. For me, the best thing was being part of a community of local business owners, who have become friends and whom I have had the pleasure of working with since.

“It is all about who you know in business, and the Accelerator was a great opportunity to develop friendships and partnerships with a lot of wonderful people.”

CatBurtonAtPhotographyShow ByIanPotterLightPressDesign2

This photo was taken by Cat’s friend Ian Potter, who she met on the programme. 

Since, Cat’s business has continued to prosper with March 2019 marking a huge boost for her business profile. The Photography Show in Birmingham, which welcomes 35,000 visitors, saw her images brought to life on the ChromaLuxe stand as large aluminium prints. The enchanting images, focussed on Scottish nature and history, drew the attention of masses. 

The excitement doesn’t end here. Cat has an impressive line-up of events, including a charity art exhibition in Aberdeen on 18th May, with 50% of proceeds from artwork sales going to Charlie House. Other events include ArTAY Exhibition in Perth from 16th to 19th May and Glasgow Contemporary Art Fair from 17th to 19th May. Further information on these events and Cat’s work can be found on her website.

To find out more about our accelerator programmes, visit our website here.

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