Story & Lesson Highlights with Kara Adamopoulos

We recently had the chance to connect with Kara Adamopoulos and have shared our conversation below.

Kara, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
Being a writer and illustrator, I do not work a typical day job. No one is telling me what to do each day, I do not report my activities to a boss, and I do not have to clock in. Some people may think “Well, then how are you working?”

I ask myself each day, how can I work small to get to my end goal? I work a little each day, with hopes of publishing my own books in a year or more. My business is just me right now, and social media is an important part of my work. I figure out what kinds of art I would like to post. Then, I edit my art in Adobe Express or Photoshop so my art looks good on a phone, ipad, or even a desktop computer. Sometimes, social media is hard because an artwork I really like may not reach my audience in the way I intended it to. I have to find ways to show my art, and in a lot of ways, show who I am with my art. On social media, its important for me to be intentional with what messages I want to show through my art. I focus a lot on positivity, bright colors, and nature. I write a lot of mind maps and I journal to come up with new ideas. I also like to research social media itself. I go to the creative insights tools on social
media sights. I look at when people are online the most, what is changing about certain platforms, and I research how the algorithms work so I can reach my audience better. I also like getting inspired from other creators like me. The community of artists on instagram are kind, and they share a lot of information on how to be a better businessperson and artist. It is sometimes hard to juggle both, since being a businessperson does not always come easy to me.

In short, yes I do work. However, I do not work in a typical sense of sitting at a desk. My work is fun, but I still have to do a lot of research, formatting, and spend a lot of time doing art and writing. Branding is also the key to getting my audience to understand who I am and what stories I want to tell. I like to tell stories about family, friends, and mental wellness journies. Mental health is an important topic I like to talk about in my work. It takes me a lot of time to write characters with convincing backgrounds, and I spend a lot of time building their world creatively. As an artist, I draw a lot of what I know, so I use my own life experiences to inspire what I draw or write about. Some people may not understand that artists work a lot, but we do work hard! Sure, the art is the most fun part, but a lot goes into communication and storytelling through the art. You need to have an understanding that art is an unpredictable job. Sometimes, people do not like your art, and companies may not accept your specific style of art. It can be harsh to listen to criticisms of my art, but that is part of my growth. Through it all, I enjoy my work very much.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Kara, and I am a children’s book illustrator and writer. I have self published a book, Abby’s Dilemma, and released it to Amazon. I wrote and illustrated this book about a young girl with anxiety, the book challenges its readers to pick different endings, and help her feel better about starting a new school year. I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I got my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Illustration. I also have a background in Biology, and a degree in science from Salisbury University.

A part of what makes me unique is that I have a background in both STEM and art. I used to draw a lot while learning anatomy in my science classes, and I used those drawings to teach others about science. When I went to art school, I painted a lot, sketched a lot, and learned how to communicate through visual storytelling. With my unique background, I was able to draw on my ecological knowledge, and I strengthened my art skills, making me the artist I am today. I
often use my science and math skills to strengthen my knowledge of digital programs. These digital programs help
me make better art. It is easier to express myself and my art because I have a knowledge of both traditional and digital art. I love painting on traditional canvas, paper, and drawing on whatever piece of physical media I can. However, traditional art can be hard to share in a digital world, so I often have to use Photoshop to edit my pieces. While editing, I adjust colors, brightness, and I even erase or add adjustments to my work. Most of the time I spend on my art is the actual creation of the art, but a lot of time and energy is spent editing it. Editing the art makes sharing it on social media much easier. When someone is scrolling through instagram, they may not notice my art if it looks too dark, or the image is too blurry. It is important for me to edit my art, but also find joy in it. I find the most joy in creating the art, and sharing it is also a happy experience for me.

I am still writing and editing my book, Abby’s Dilemma, and I plan to publish my book in a few years. I am also writing another book, Drop’s World, where a frog, Drop, gets lost and has to find his family again, but he finds a new family while searching for his home. In addition, I manage my own social media and portfolio website content myself. I make art almost each day and post whatever I make. I post process work, finished pieces, and I even collaborate with other artsy friends. I support other artist on instagram, by following them and liking their posts. I gain a lot of knowledge from other artists who have been in the industry longer than I have.

My brand is centered on childrens content, but I also like to focus on education. Through my science background, I am able to communicate ideas I am passionate about, such as climate change and nature appreciation. I like to draw plants too. I have a vast knowledge of botany, and I love caring for my own plants at home. I usually like to combine all my skills to make art that is both nature focused and playful, and sometimes whimsical. I always put my own style into my work. My style
is what makes my unique, but it makes my art look recognizable to me. I am
inspired by illustrators, like Yuko Shimizu, but I am also inspired by childrens book illustrators like Hilary Knight. I love artists who play with strong linework. My signature style includes linework that is striking, rounded edges on my subjects, like squirrels or a plant. I love to paint in the style of French impressionists. Like Cezanne, Monet, or Matisse. These styles of art inspired me when I was child and I would visit art galleries. I love looking at the paintings, and now, thanks to social media, I get to look at a digital art gallery whenever I want.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I went to an art camp when I about 7 years old. My teacher taught us about art history. Then, the whole class would create art based on an artist and their style. Some of her assignments included recreating Andy Warhol’s photo collages with our own faces. We also did a unit where we painted like Monet. My class and I looked at several fine art pieces, and I happened to love searching for hidden objects in huge paintings. I felt a sense of wonder when I saw these paintings, and I felt inspired by their art and their life stories. I thought it was interesting that Monet lost part of his sight when he aged, and it made me feel less scared of doing art for myself. Getting to know an artists’ art, but also their personal life stories inspired me. After taking this art class in the summer, I dreamed about becoming an artist. I did my own art in this class too, and I did a painting inspired by Monet. My teacher was amazed by my painting skills, especially while being so young.
I loved painting, and I felt powerful when I painted. I was able to see in my head what the end product was going to look like. I loved looking at Monets paintings, so I tried my best to see his shapes and how he painted. I wanted to paint like him, and even now, I still want to paint like him. My parents were so happy and loved my paintings from this class. I also felt powerful when people liked my paintings. Whenever I paint now, I always feel free. Even if I am not making any money from my art, I love painting and making art. It is my joy.

Do you remember a time someone truly listened to you?
When I was in art school, I had already graduated with one degree in science. In my senior year at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I had become burnt out. I was taking three studio courses within the same 10 week semester. I felt tired, and I started running out of ideas for my art projects. My grades in one of my courses started to fall, and my professor noticed that I was holding back. I did not understand what I wanted my portfolio to look like. My professor had weekly discussions with the students about our portfolios. I was discussing my art, and my plans for after graduation with him, and I remember him saying that he was concerned for me. He expressed that he was not sure where my portfolio or my art journey was going. I also told him that I was confused and unsure where my art was taking me. I often felt tired, and I was struggling with chronic migraines. Sometimes, I felt strained while I was on my computer working on my digital art projects. I also was not sure if I wanted to make more scientific art or go into book publishing. I thought about what my professor was challenging me to do. He wanted me to really consider what my portfolio was going to look like. The rest of the semester, I put everything I had into my portfolio, and my book pages for my original book. I had to redo some of the art several times, for months at a time. It was difficult for me to understand why I had to keep redrawing some elements in my book, but my professor instructed me that my previous work was sloppy and would not be accepted by publishers. I learned, through this experience, that I needed to be heard. Yet, I also needed to listen to my professor and hear him out.

This experience of struggling through my work helped me to understand that art isnt always easy. Sometimes, making art isnt about making sure I am happy with my own work, but making sure my boss or professor likes my work. I learned that the comments on my work were not personally connected to myself or my own self worth. I learned to appreciate comments and critique from my peers too. Other students, including close friends, helped me to improve my art. Thanks to my professor listening to me and helping me through, I was able to improve both my portfolio and my grades. I even made Dean’s List for that semester, which surprised me because I did not enter the semester with high hopes.

This experience and many other similar experiences at the Savannah College of Art and Design helped make me a better artist. I learned that my professors wanted me to be successful. A part of being a successful artist is using feedback as a tool to improve their art. I started improving my art when I wasnt so scared of people not liking it or understanding it. Thankfully, my communication and storytelling got better and people started liking my art more. Now, I am glad to hear critiques and feedback from anyone. It is nice to get noticed, even if someone doesnt like my art, it is nice to know someone is seeing it. My art is a reflection of me. Sometimes, making the art can be hard, and I feel scared that someone may not understand me. Once I found my audience and learn how to communicate my messages and voice clearly, things got better. It is so nice to be seen and feel seen and heard through my art.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
A cultural value I protect at all costs is the importance of family. My family and I are very close, and they support me no matter what. Family is important not only for financial support, but also emotional and mental stability as well. I would also say that friends are found family. Friends help me to improve as a person, and they are there for me through thick and thin. Family and friends appreciate me for my uniqueness and my strength. My family is always there for me, but they also challenge me to be a better person. I learned a lot as a kid that life isnt easy, but with my family, life feels easier because they support my artistic life, and they support me as a person.

My family is a big inspiration to me and my own creations. I want to show to children through my art that they should depend on trusted family members and other adults to help them in life. Family should be there for their kids, even if the kid thinks they can do better on their own. It is important to teach people that families are a unit, and even if we disagree, we must work together and work things out. My family has taught me through the years that I am supported, and that I can be a better person when I depend on them and other trusted adults. I like to think about my family when I create, and they often inspire me and characters I create in my books or artworks.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am appreciating nature. I love to go on walks with my dogs in the park or at the beach. My dog enjoys sniffing through trees or other plants, and I notice different things in nature because of him and his playfulness.

I feel peace when am engaging with nature because it is not filled with artificial noise or stimulation that I find irritating and distracting. I work a lot on my phone and computer, and the screentime can dull my focus, and leave me stressed. I often stress out over social media, where there is way too much information, and opinions, and many things that are stressful. I wonder what people are thinking about my work, and I wonder how the algorithms will change with new artifical intelligences. I often feel stressed about online scams, and who I can really trust, or if there are bots liking my art or scanning it illegally. These stressors often cloud my focus and make me feel angry. To heal me and get me back to a zen state, I try to engage with nature more.

Creating also helps me to feel calm and peaceful. I love painting, and painting involves my brain and my heart, so I am able to feel peace of mind. Painting, and doing art in general is good for the brain, it stimulates the brain in a way that is calming, and allows creativity to flow instead of getting stuck. Painting, as well as sketching, helps me feel less stuck. Doomscrolling, or other mind numbing activities on my phone may make me feel stuck or frustrated. Yet sketching allows me to feel free, and let out some of those angry thoughts or feelings that are trapped in my mind. Nature helps me to understand that the trees, ocean, and animals have come before us. The nature will also, I believe, come after us, and we must protect nature and the beauty around us. A part of protecting nature, in my opinion, is appreciating what is has to offer. I love drawing what I see in nature.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karalynnillustrations.com/
• Instagram: Source: Instagram Kara Adamopoulos (@karalynn_illu) • Instagram photos and videos
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/kara-adamopoulos-6aa5ab256

Image Credits
Kara Adamopoulos
artwork and copyright belongs to me 2025