Meet Kai Lysander | Writer & Illustrator

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

Hi Kai, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work-life balance is a strange thing for a freelance artist who works on their own projects alongside contracted work. Where does one draw the line?

For me, the path of career that first opened its doors to me was being contracted to work on my own project— an opportunity I am very grateful to have had. Now, contract work has begun to occupy the majority of my workload. I think there are more opportunities to grow with contract work, so I am always very grateful for it, though it is in some modicum less intrinsically rewarding, so I try ensure that I have time for both.

Over time, too, I’ve had the great privilege of meeting many interesting and motivated people, and I do my best so show their endeavors my fullest attention, as I have always been grateful when it is given to me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
A lot of a career in art is learning to recognize what doors have opened up to you, and know when to walk through them. For me, I found a lot of success in queer spaces, and continue to find opportunities there. That being said, there’s always a lot of luck involved as well, either knowing the right people, seeing a listing while it’s open or otherwise just getting the right eyes on your work.
Then too, it’s important to give opportunities back to others when you find yourself in the position to. The art scene is very much a closed ecosystem, and it’s the responsibility of everyone in it to uphold it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever people come to visit me, I usually default to Pasadena. Norton Simon, Huntington and Arlington Gardens are all a great, laid-back time for a person like me, and theres tons of cute local shops to dip into for a souvenir or casual browse. Lately, Gold Bug and Vroman’s have been favorites. For food, Amara Cafe, Mama Lu’s and Kinrose Creamery are all great picks, and if there is a show in town the Pasadena Playhouse is a great place to spend the evening.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Over the past year or so, I’ve been making an effort to read through Ursula K. Le Guin’s body of work. As I’ve read through, she’s become a stronger and more present influence, serving for an example of resolve both as a creator and individual. I feel that my outlook on life, art and people have been fundamentally changed by her work.

Website: https://kailysander.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kai.lysander/