CREATED BY JULIA GOMELSKY
Designer, illustrator, dreamcatcher maker, doll enthusiast...
Julia Gomelsky is a designer/art director/photographer/illustrator based in Los Angeles, Calif.
Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, back when it was still called Leningrad, Julia emigrated to the United States in 1978 along with her parents and twin sister, Victoria. She discovered her interest in photography and visual arts in high school and attended San Francisco State University, graduating in 2000 with a degree in industrial design (with an emphasis in graphic design).
After graduation, Julia worked as a web designer/art director for internet and entertainment companies in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 2013, she took a leap of faith, leaving the “9 to 5” schedule for a freelance lifestyle that enabled her to take on a wide variety of freelance design projects as well as more artistic pursuits.
Julia’s passion is design of any form. In the spring of 2009, she launched Vijous (vee-zhoo) to showcase her artwork — the name is derived from a juxtaposition of Julia and her twin sister Victoria’s first names. Combining the flair of a gallery with the convenience of the web, the site was founded as a forum to display a series of quirky photographs of two dolls named Paige and Ginger. In 2017, it became clear the girls deserved their very own site, and PaigeandGinger.com (along with a complete re-brand) was born.
In the summer of 2013, Julia created Drawn for You, a custom illustration service. Her illustrations are frequently featured on the Howard Stern Show social media channels and are very popular with the staff, fans and wack pack. Drawn for You also features Julia’s popular “My Pet Croc” illustrations.
Julia’s latest project, The bird and the butterfly, was inspired by a weekend visit to Ojai, Calif., in 2016. A showcase of her custom, handmade wall hangings with gemstones sourced from Tucson, the site also features Julia’s mixed media pieces (mostly custom mâché on canvas) and other one-of-a-kind artwork.
Social handles: @paigeandginger, @drawnforyou, @thebirdandthebutterfly, @storiesxthebird, @hilittlewitchy, @phishingstories