About Kalore Cao
Biography
Kalore Cao is a Toronto-based illustrator, iconographer, and etiquette consultant, currently enrolled in the illustration program at OCAD University (Ontario College of Art and Design) and studied at the University of Dundee in Scotland, passionate about both contemporary and traditional artistic practices. She is a trained professional with a certificate from the International Association of Professions Career College. Also undertook Social Etiquette and Empowerment training at Emma Dupont School of Etiquette in London, 2020, to help people to be more confident in the social and business settings.
Kalore learnt to write icons under the guidance from the Discalced Carmelites friars in Canada. In 2018, she participated in the Iconography workshop in the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at the University of Toronto to ensure the iconographic tradition while exploring creativity in artistic expression. Her works have been featured in the Shalom World TV program in 2020, "From contemporary artist to Catholic iconographer". In 2019, her creative practice and faith journal had been published on the Archdiocese of Toronto Blog and Catholic Register. By sharing her faith journey and creative practice, Kalore aims to use iconography " the window to heaven", to remind people back to the sources of meanings and life in the face of a secular materialistic world.
Understanding the importance of acknowledging cultural diversity in creative practices, she has traveled to more than 20 countries to appreciate creative diversity, to better decolonize the general culture and educational system.
While more capabilities mean more responsibility, Kalore has the mission to give back to society and combat social injustice from the roots by undertaking various international volunteer projects. To name a few but not limited to:
- Teaching Yearbook class at St. Alban's Boys and Girls Club, Toronto, 201 7- 2018
- Teaching assistant to the Pre-school children in Cusco, Peru, 2018
- Panthera conservation project in Amazon rainforest, Peru, 2018
- Wildlife Biolink and Conservation at Batu Kapal Conservation, Indonesia, 2019
- English Teaching at Wat Niwet Thammaprawat temple school, Thailand, 2019
- Care-taker at Thai Elephant Sanctuary, Thailand, 2019
- Rider assistant and stable management at The Brae Riding for the Disabled, Scotland, 2020
- Co-director of OCAD Artist Alley, Toronto, 2020 - present
Expertise
My work focuses on capturing the artistic inspiration from daily life and the experience of travelling to over 20 countries, whether it is illustration, painting, or calligraphy.
Always experimenting with new techniques, I'm equally comfortable with analogue and digital technologies and use both according to the needs of the project.
Work with Me
Have an upcoming project? I'd love to collaborate with you!
Get in touch with me using my contact form to discuss rates, scheduling and more.
“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.”
— Jonathan Swift