From my recent interview with VoyageLA, a digital city guide that shares and celebrates the stories of local entrepreneurs, artists, and small businesses throughout Los Angeles.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Gomelsky.

Hi Julia, 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?
Paige and Ginger started as an idea that lived in the back of my mind for years. I wanted to create a series using dolls as characters — the perfect duo with just the right expressions and attitude. It took a while to find the right pair though. Not every doll has that spark, and these two needed it.

When Paige and Ginger finally came along, they immediately felt like partners in crime.
They’re always photographed nude, which is part of the humor, but also part of the concept. Without clothes or defined identities, they can be anything: adventurers, rebels, dreamers, explorers. They exist outside of rules and expectations.

Through photography and digital collage, Paige and Ginger wander into strange, playful, and sometimes absurd situations, always curious and a little mischievous.

What started as a quirky photo experiment slowly grew into its own world, one where two sassy characters roam freely through imagination, photography, and digital collage.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road, but the challenges have mostly been part of the adventure. One of the more unexpected ones is that Paige and Ginger themselves have taken a bit of a beating over the years. After traveling with me and being photographed in all kinds of environments, their bodies are a little banged up. Paige is actually a double amputee now. I’ve tried to find a doll doctor or even a replacement body, but I’ve had them for so long that the dolls are no longer made. Because of that, I don’t travel with them as much as I used to. Most of their adventures now happen in my home studio, and I rely more heavily on Photoshop to build the worlds around them.

Another challenge has been getting the work in front of a wider audience. Since Paige and Ginger is a self-driven project, I handle everything myself, from shooting and editing to running the website and social media. I’m naturally more comfortable on the creative side than the promotional side, but over time I’ve learned that sharing the work is just another part of the process.

And of course, humor doesn’t land the same way for everyone. Paige and Ginger are usually photographed nude, which some people find funny and freeing, but others occasionally misunderstand. One memorable moment was when I photographed them outside the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. A woman approached me, very upset, and began scolding me for taking the photo. I explained that they’re plastic dolls and there are no actual body parts involved. Meanwhile, nearby people were taking selfies and leaving cigarette butts on the ground. It made me wonder what really counts as disrespectful.

But moments like that are rare. Most people who discover Paige and Ginger immediately understand the humor and spirit of it, and I’m lucky to have a group of loyal fans who have followed their adventures for years.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a graphic and web designer, art director, photographer, illustrator and a doll enthusiast! My work spans a wide range of creative projects, mostly focused on front-end design and visual storytelling. I love being involved in all aspects of the creative process, whether that’s concepting, shooting photography, designing, or illustrating.

In my day-to-day work I collaborate with clients across different industries, including luxury brands and nonprofits. One day I might be photographing Senator Adam Schiff for a community healthcare nonprofit, and another I’m editing imagery for high jewelry designers or creating custom illustrations for an iconic retreat center. I’ve always enjoyed moving between disciplines and bringing different creative skills together in one project.

Outside of client work, I have several personal projects that let me explore creativity in different ways. My photography and digital collage series, Paige and Ginger, has grown into its own playful universe of awesome adventures. I also handcraft custom dreamcatchers through The bird and the butterfly, using gemstones sourced from the annual gem shows in Tucson. These dreamcatchers have been featured in galleries and pop-ups, including events at West Elm. And I’ve written and illustrated five children’s books, each one an opportunity to combine storytelling and illustration in a different way.

Some proud moments include seeing Paige and Ginger transformed into a large custom backdrop for a luxury jewelry brand at an event in Las Vegas. It was awesome seeing these characters appear at that scale. I’ve also loved working on a year-long illustration project creating custom drawings of legendary characters and then watching those illustrations take on a life of their own across social media, products, and even animation.

What sets me apart is probably how eclectic my work is. I move comfortably between design, photography, illustration, and handmade work, and I take a lot of pride in the care and detail I put into everything I create. Whether it’s a client project or something personal like Paige and Ginger, I’m always trying to make the work thoughtful, visually strong, and a little unexpected.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Honestly, I’ve never had a traditional mentor, and I’m not sure where I’d even find one. For me, my mentor has always been my imagination. I follow what excites me, experiment constantly, and learn by doing: by trying, failing, and figuring out new ways to create. Sometimes your own curiosity is the best teacher.

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