Meet Kamila Kowalke | artist

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

Hi Kamila, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
The world… on a global… international… national… and local stage seems to sadly be so divided these days. Our communities are so polarized today due to politics or the news media or the goings on of society… right or wrong. Somehow we have to find a commonality that brings us all together… Me We… as I often say. We are all in this together and we must find solutions to unite. Well… art can be a solution for many. Art is the ultimate transformation of energy. In this case… the intangible energy of the artist… that morphs into a tangible physical object which obviously is the artwork. And from this… we create an amazing energy of emotion.

Art is a powerful tool of influence that goes way beyond the spoken word. Art inspires. Art heals. Art educates. Art speaks to us and often for us. In a world that is unfortunately immersed in chaos and uncertainty… I hope to bring color, peace, calm, joy and love to others in the hopes of making their lives just a bit better.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My artistic objective is to share peace, calm, joy and love with others through colorful art that brings life to both the physical and emotional space. Art is a medicine for the soul. In this past year… I have been honored and privileged to participate in an amazing art exhibit at the new City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Treatment Center. This has been an opportunity to partner with a great organization with a wholistic view of health that treats the body, mind and soul. City of Hope OC combines cutting edge cancer research with integrated approached to healing… recognizing the benefits that art brings to this process. This collaboration is the epitome of what I want to create in the world… a sense of healing through art.

My artistic journey began nearly 30 years ago in then communist Poland where as a young girl. I had to find beauty in things that were not often apparent. The challenges of being raised in that part of the world in a difficult and different time began my search for the beauty in all things art. Now having lived in the United States for nearly three decades… most of those in California where I achieved success as a business woman in a high-pressure career… I often find myself drifting back to a simpler life where the beauty, creativity and imagination were hidden in a society that shunned freedom and individualism and which often are lost in our society these days. Today I am able to lose myself in my paintings and create a new world of sorts. A world of joy and laughter and humility and appreciation… knowing that I am a part of this amazing universe and all it has to offer. I hope to share my life on canvas with you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A friend visiting Southern California would definitely have to visit both Los Angeles and Orange County to get a taste of these two wonderful and yet distinctly different areas of our region. In Los Angeles, we would obviously visit the obligatory Hollywood Blvd with the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood and Vine… and certainly… the Hollywood sign. I also love the Griffith Observatory as a point of interest for visitors. Coffee and dinner on Sunset Blvd are definitely a must.

A stroll through Beverly Hills and Santa Monica has to be on the agenda as well. I love Café Gratitude and Crossroads for lunch and dinner and then a recent low key favorite The Courtyard Kitchen on Montana. If it is not too hot, hiking in the Santa Monica mountains and running the Santa Monica stairs has to be included.

After a tour through Los Angeles, I would take my guest to Orange County to experience all beautiful beaches in Newport, Laguna and my personal favorite… The Strand in Dana Point. We would visit the galleries of Laguna, have a coffee at Urth Café and the Bear Company, dinner at the Loft at the Montage and drinks at Splashes. And hike both the El Moro Canyon Park and the Top of the World at sunset.

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?
There are many people in my life who have journeyed with me on a road well traveled to pursue my art career. And I owe so much to so many. However there is one person who I honor and revere with all my heart. She has been my inspiration and my strength… my soul and my guidance… as I ventured into my new world of art. This person is my amazing mom who has given so much of herself to help me throughout my life. I would not be here in the US if not for my mom. She gave me the courage and the resiliency… the belief and the hope that I could leave my native home country of Poland as a young woman… and begin anew in America… in search of a better life. And while my mother… now in her 80s… still lives in my home city of Gdansk Poland… she is constantly with me in spirit… or at least over Skype.

My mom instilled persistence and perseverance. She inspired a sense of possibility and the belief that I can do anything that I desire. This view has shaped my life and has allowed me to make what could have been an extremely overwhelming and challenging career change. Prior to my art career which I launched a few years ago… I worked in the technology and financial investment sector with great success. However I knew deep in my soul that I could do more with my life and affect change in a different way… thus my new art life. So thank you mom for being with me on my journey.

Website: www.kamilakowalke.com

Instagram: @kamilakowalkeart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamila-kowalke-9377ba/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kamilakowalkeart

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeXEHquolw_hSoqIFqjySxg