Conversations with Karolina Leonte

Today we’d like to introduce you to Karolina Leonte.

Hi Karolina Leonte , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Karolina Leonte, and I’m also known as ΚΛRO. I was born in 1984 in Kraków, Poland, and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. I started drawing at an early age, inspired by my father and my own natural love for art.

In Los Angeles, I studied character animation and CGI at Animation Mentor. Then, in 2019, I decided to return to my first love: pencil and paper.

Today, my work blends self-portraiture with playful parody, often pairing detailed black-and-white drawings with unexpected pops of color.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. Over the past six months, I’ve been through three painful experiences, one after another, roughly two months apart. But here I am, still finding reasons to feel strong and hopeful. I’m still grieving my mom, who passed away in July from stage IV cancer, but I feel her with me every day.

Through both my art and my writing, I want to remind people—especially women—that even after life’s most painful moments, it’s possible to get back up and build a beautiful life again. That hope is at the heart of the new artwork and personal essay series I’m looking forward to sharing, titled It Comes in Threes.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I would describe my style as contemporary realism with a playful touch of pop art. My recent work explores self-portraiture and parody, combining detailed black-and-white imagery with colorful accents.

I’ve developed my own technique using graphite and charcoal in both pencil and powder form, blending them with my hands, brushes, and cotton swabs. I often incorporate oil-based colored pencils, acrylic paint, or fabric to introduce color and create a mixed-media effect.

I’m especially proud of developing a process that feels distinctly my own. I care deeply about every detail, but I also want to leave room for playfulness. I think that balance, along with my personal perspective, is what makes my work stand out.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in a modest, loving household in Poland. Life wasn’t always easy. We weren’t poor, but there were winters when we couldn’t afford to heat the house properly. My parents would turn on the stove, and we’d gather in the kitchen to stay warm.

What I remember most, though, is the love in our home. My parents raised me with strong values, and that foundation shaped who I am today.

As a child, I was outgoing but also a little shy, and I’ve been artistic for as long as I can remember.

Now, at 42, I feel more confident, more creative, and more myself than ever. I have so much I still want to create and experience, and I feel like I’m just getting started. My new project gives me a sense of purpose: I want to help others, especially women, believe in their ability to begin again, no matter what life brings their way. Life is too short to believe it’s too late.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.karolinaleonte.com
• Instagram: @karo_art