Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Karaklou
Hi Anna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up between America and Greece. I always felt like I didn’t belong where I was, but drawing was a place where I always felt at peace. I studied Fine Art and English Literature in Greece, did an MA in Media Arts at Royal Holloway and then moved to Cyprus to work in radio. While I was there I got to do my first murals at the radio station, but it would be a while before I came back to that. When I came back to Greece I worked as an Assistant Director in advertising and also sang in a few bands. I got to paint a few guitars and draw some storyboards, but nothing serious towards a career in art. When the Greek economy collapsed I finally moved back to the States with my band and started working in theater; at first as a stage manager and then behind the scenes where my career as a scenic artist began.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been a very bumpy ride and incredibly circuitous. I worked in film and television for the majority of my adult life, but it was incredibly exhausting. A normal work week was 80 hours, plus commute, so there was really no personal time that wasn’t tainted by exhaustion. Also none of my friends ever knew where I was. It was incredibly satisfying work and I was lucky that I had some artistic talent and was always put on fun jobs where I got to do murals and graffiti and run art departments with incredible fine artists, like the Serbian Crew for Glass Onion.
I would have probably gone on forever, but repeatedly during the last 5 years, I would get hit on set and suffer a concussion that would take me out for longer and longer stretches of time until 2022 when I was hurt so badly that I finally realized the universe wanted me to move on.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
After I left the film industry I concentrated on my own art and illustration. I’m not usually very willing to go out of my way to talk about myself, so I found it difficult to find enough gig work to keep me going anywhere close to what I was doing before. I set a job alert for “artist” and a teaching position at VCU came up. I never had any inclination towards teaching but my favorite illustrator teaches there and encouraged me to apply because the department is getting itself towards film… So here I am! Luckily there were already film people in the department who could understand my insanely convoluted resumé and who really wanted me here. I think a lot of the professors are from an academic background, so I’m bringing a lot of world experience to the table.
What’s next?
I have always been obsessed with comics and animation. I’ve done some background painting and really loved that; I feel like it’s scenic art I can do on my iPad. I think I’m really perfectly made for that. I see more animation and a lot more comics-making on my future. I also really miss exhibiting, which I was doing much more of pre -pandemic. My husband works in projection mapping, so together we make fully immersive shows that are really fun and, I think, very beautiful. You can see some of the exhibitions on our joint Instagram, @animatsonga
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.karakalou.com
- Instagram: @karakalou
- Youtube: https://youtube.wegovernwe
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/XR4aT
- Other: https://Instagram.com/panoisms
