Meet Caitlyn Kurilich | Artist & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Caitlyn Kurilich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Caitlyn, what inspires you?
Have you ever heard of the golden age of illustration? It’s a time in illustration history, around the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, in which there was an explosion of beautifully illustrated books, magazines, brochures, even shop catalogues. Think of old fairytale art- that’s from this time. Everything was illustrated to the highest degree of skill, (even Sear’s catalogues!) and illustrators were household names as if they were movie stars. The sensitivity and academic mastery of art and design during this time has an exquisiteness that is so hard to find at any other time in history. This is one of my biggest inspirations, and I often reference old victorian fairytale books for my own work and design.

Other than that, I’m very inspired by the artists Claire Wendling, Ivan Bilibin, Alphonse Mucha, Hiroshi Yoshida, Kamome Shirahama, and Becky Cloonan.

I really love dress history, and often grab House of Worth gowns for reference. Albanian folk costume fascinates me. So does old royal European armor, falconry, plants, antique teaware, silver, and beautiful English gardens. I love to believe in history as fantasy.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Living in LA is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. When I was in art school, moving to LA after graduation was the thing to do. It was incredibly difficult to go from being talented among a small group of students, to being a small fish in the whole ocean that is LA’s animation scene.

When applying for animation jobs, I was going up against artists who’d been doing the same job for 10 to 15 years, and here I was, fresh out of college, with many more years of practice to go before I could even hope to compete for a studio position. My portfolio wasn’t right for animation, even after all the hard work of school. It was a tough pill to swallow. On top of that, the way that I work isn’t very suited towards a 9-5 studio job. Every interviewer could see this about me, but somehow I couldn’t.

It’s only when I gave up on trying to compete for animation jobs and searched for a better way of using my art that I’ve begun to have success. Instead of trying really hard to fit myself into the studio-job box, I’ve started doing the art I want to do in the way and rhythms I like to do it. Now, I get to travel and sell my art at conventions and art fairs, meet new people, and enjoy a totally different approach to my career.

I’m still in the beginning stages of building this new business and working for myself, and there’s still lots to do. But I’m so grateful and so thrilled to be working on my art and building my business exactly the way I like it every single day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Please excuse me for the terribly self indulgent itinerary that follows. This will be the perfect list for you if you like art, antiques, tea, and baked goods.

For art, one must visit The Huntington Library & Garden. Absolutely required. Gorgeous gardens and art everywhere you look. I’d also say you have to visit the Getty Museum and the Norton Simon. There’s also the Getty Villa, which is part art museum and part reconstructed roman villa.

For antiques, you’ll have to come at the right time in the month. Every Sunday, there’s a different flea market in a different part of LA. My favorites are the PCC swap meet, every first Sunday of the month. It’s (to my knowledge) the only free swap meet in LA. The most famous, wildest, and most amazing swap meet would be the Rose Bowl Flea Market, which is every second Sunday of the month. This one has an entry fee, but the vendors are serious business, and you can find some really incredible stuff there, from antiques to artworks, to a little bit of street food.

Now, tea. (And coffee.) If you’re familiar with gong-fu style tea, Steep LA is the place to go. They give you a whole gong fu set up and let you serve yourself at your own pace. Bring friends! It’s a lot of tea. Go Get ‘Em Tiger (any location) also serves great tea, as does Dinosaur Coffee in Silverlake. If you want to buy loose leaf tea to brew at home, go to Wing Hop Fung next to the Santa Anita racetrack. They have really rare, exquisite tea that can be up to $100 an ounce.

If you’re a fan of croissants, try Tartine (any location), Bread Lounge, Farm Shop, or Proof Bakery. And if you’re a fan of really really cute pastries, try the cafe at the Miyako hotel in Little Tokyo. They’ve got buns shaped like little bears and tigers and honestly, I feel guilty eating something so cute-looking.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Cameron Mousavi- he’s a fantastic environment concept artist. He’s great at worldbuilding, landscapes, and nature. I’m great at characters and storytelling. We went to school together, and we both nerd out together about the same art techniques and historical references. He’s amazing at untangling process questions and helping to critique my work when I get stuck, and I try to do the same for him. We both push each other to do our best work, and we both try to catch the other when one of us is nearing burnout. It’s been so lovely to see how our work has changed and grown since we first met.

Lai & Bryce Kho – these two are an amazing artist couple that are teaching me everything there is to know about the business side of selling art. Most importantly, they always strike a perfect balance between having fun and getting things done. I really look up to both of them! They also create a lot of community for artists- they run a figure drawing club as a way for artists to come together, meet up, and have fun. The most inspiring thing about them is their commitment to nurturing community, not for recognition, but just for the joy of doing art with others.

Website: www.caitlynkurilich.com

Instagram: @caitlynkurilich