We recently connected with Kara Adamopoulos and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

The mission behind my art is to encourage joy and mental wellness. My illustrations are colorful. I like to make characters and environments that make someone feel like a kid again. Also, I usually try to create art that makes the viewer calm.

When I say mental wellness, I mean that I want to tell stories about how to manage anxiety and tough emotions. With a constantly changing world, social media, and overall increased stimulation, it is hard for anyone to relax and feel at peace. I want to show how managing your mental health is easier than we think. In addition, I want to encourage others to accept themselves.

I find art to be healing, and I also find that making art helps with my anxiety. I became encouraged to make mental health related art over the pandemic. My main goal was to teach emotional regulation, with a focus on children and how to help them with their difficulties. As a quirky and different person myself, I want to make characters that reflect that too. I love to create peace in my art, and it helps to create peace within myself when others relate to my stories.

Kara , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got into illustration, mainly from my drive to make scientific art. I went into art school and did not yet understand what illustration really was. I soon found out that illustration communicates stories, and covers many different artistic mediums. My illustrations got better because I have a signature style. I love drawing cartoon inspired art, and making things colorful and floral.

I provide creative works, such as digital prints, childrens book art, and botanical art. Botanical art is my specialty. I can draw digitally or traditionally. I also am a painter, and able to do commissions in paint.

What sets me apart from other illustrators? I would say that I provide high quality art. Also, I am a writer, and able to write my own fictional stories. I put an emphasis on staying true to my beliefs. I have strong integrity, and I will not bend and create art that goes against my morals.
I solve problems for clients by showing them my own creative take on things. I would say I am better at creating things that are noticed easily, bright and colorful.
I am really good at taking criticism. I am good at getting feedback and making sure I can fix what I can. I am a very good listener, too.
I would love my potential clients to know that I am passionate and able to create fun art for them. I love imagining and figuring out what designs work best. I love minimal layouts, and being able to tell my stories.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

An important change in my educational career was my switch from STEM to art. I graduated with my degree in biological studies in 2020. Straight out of high school, I was eager to become a veterinarian. I became an honors student, and I loved my studies. I discovered and learned several things about myself, and wanted to learn more. During my junior year, I shadowed many veterinarians in my town. I realized that veterinarians have a much harder job than I thought. I fell out of love with becoming a doctor, so I dropped my pre health studies for a sketchbook and a pencil. I started looking at art schools, and I joined the online program for the Savannah college of art and design.

I soon realized that my STEM background helped me a lot for becoming an artist. I sounds weird, but its completely true!
Art involves a lot of math, ratios, proportions, dimensions, and more. I learned that I was great at manipulating images in my mind, and my Stem background helped me a lot with that. I also became more assertive in the science labs. I learned how to be a teamplayer and a leader, too. My stem background and art background make me a better candidate for jobs. Both disciplines require hard work, and I am glad to have both.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Being an artist means that I get to do what I love everyday. Making art is a constant learning process. There will always be more techniques and more programs to practice, and I love evolving my style with new techniques.
Being a creative means I get to take all the messy emotions inside of me and put them into something tangible. I get to express myself and share a part of myself in a new and unique way. I also get to learn more as I study what I draw. I love sharing my art, and that usually brings me closer to people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karalynnillustrations.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karalynn_illu/profilecard/?igsh=c2Q4YTc2M2RpbDN5
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/kara-adamopoulos-6aa5ab256
• Other: My etsy shop
  karalynnarty.etsy.com

Image Credits

All work belongs to Kara Adamopoulos