Meet Gela Kalaitzidis | Children’s book writer and illustrator, and part-time elementary school art teacher

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

Hi Gela, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I started working as a compositor in Visual Effects for the film Industry. After a few years of making Robert Downey Jr. fly, sinking Johnny Depp in numerous pirate ships, aging Brad Pitt backward, and exploding almost everything on the screen, I concluded that movie deadlines and raising three children were a horrible mix. My husband and I were both working with films, and there were many weekends when he was on set, and I was in the studio struggling to finish my shots. Nannies and others help raise our children. It was an extremely stressful time. I felt inadequate both as a parent and in my work role, and I completely collapsed. This was a blessing in disguise because it gave me the incentive to leave my job and focus on my dream of creating picture books for children.
The balance between work and family life is still hard to separate. Now I’m in charge of my hours, but bringing work home is also easier. You never know when an idea for a story or the urge to write or sketch on your book pops up. I’m a big fan of timers. I set my clock and focus on what I need to do at that moment, and when the bell rings, I put aside my work to be with what matters most, my family.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
During my early years as an illustrator, I worked in Acrylic or heavy layers of gouache. I used bold, thick outlines, and all my characters were quite motionless. When I connected with Giuseppe Castellano at the Illustration Department, he helped me see where my talent was as an artist. I realized that I was stronger at drawing than painting. Now, I focus on my line work and look for movement in my characters. I want my final renders to have a natural sketchy feeling. The biggest joy is to doodle in my sketchbook with my 6B pencil.
My art is inspired by my childhood in Sweden. I feel connected to the endless forests and dark lakes where I grew up. Old fairytales of Scandinavian and Northern European mythology also influenced my stories of trolls, dragons, and witches. Except for me, the dragon lives in a two-bedroom apartment instead of a lair, and the knight is a little kid with Converse and baggy pants.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My definition of a good time in any city is surrounding yourself with art. Los Angeles has plenty of museums; you can always find unique exhibits at MOCA, LACMA, and the UCLA Hammer Museum. One smaller gallery that always works for me is Gallery Deitch. Every exhibit I’ve seen there has blown me away. As a children’s bookmaker, I often visit Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra to see exhibits from other illustrators or browse through their bookstore.
In regards to food, there are too many delicious restaurants here in LA to pick one. But our current favorite is the Taverna in Mar Vista. It has authentic Greek food and a homey atmosphere. My husband is Greek, and we travel to Greece every other summer, so we should know! Come on a Sunday and eat their BBQ meat on a gyro.
Let’s remember this is Los Angeles. You have to go to the beach. The sun is shining, dolphins are in the water, and there are giant waves to play with. Our favorite spot is south of the Washington Pier. It’s further away from the Boardwalk bustle but still close to restaurants, so we can grab a drink and some food in the afternoon.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout goes to my critique group. We’re seven women who work as children’s book writers and illustrators. We’ve been guiding each other through this somewhat confusing picture book-making industry for the last eight years. My book Ozzie and Prince Zebedee would never have reached the bookshelves if it weren’t for them. They are my mentors, inspiration, friends, and healers. Thank you, Chelsea Lin Wallace, Nell Cross Beckerman, Carter Higgins, Sasha Mayer, Erika Rich, and Julia Wasson, for being the amazing Creative Beasts that you are.
Another important person in my career is Giuseppe Castellano from the Illustration Department. He helped me find my visual voice and has worked with me as a mentor from my first illustration portfolio through all my book dummies and published books.

Website: https://www.gelakalaitzidis.com/

Instagram: @gelakalaitzidis

Twitter: @gelakalaitzidis

Facebook: @gelakalaitzidis

Image Credits
Nikos Kalaitzidis