KYLA GAGANAM

Kyla Gaganam is not only a multidisciplinary artist and curator, but also a sustainability consultant, organizer, and creative educator who bridges visual storytelling with systems thinking. Her work lives at the intersection of traditional art, climate strategy, and community engagement—using illustration, public programming, and cultural events to explore themes of identity, environmental justice, and collective healing.

She holds a Master of Liberal Arts in Sustainability from Harvard University, with certifications in Circular Economics, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Environmental Policy & International Development. Kyla’s education directly informs her practice—allowing her to create projects that translate complex sustainability challenges into grounded, community-driven solutions. Whether she’s curating an exhibition, facilitating a youth workshop, or developing climate strategy for a sports league, she uses art and organizing as tools to reimagine a more inclusive and regenerative future.

ART AND CUSTOM WORK

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ART AND CUSTOM WORK *

Kyla creates all of her visual work by hand, beginning each piece on custom-stained paper. Her collections draw from Dravidian culture, traditional South Asian storytelling, inviting viewers into layered visual narratives rich with symbolism and coded meaning.

Each body of work functions like a puzzle, meant to be deciphered through recurring motifs, composition, and theme. Across mediums, Kyla explores the experiences of women of color, traditional ecological knowledge, and climate storytelling, all rooted in forms that begin handmade before evolving into digital or print.

She has collaborated with musicians, directors, and fellow artists throughout Austin and beyond. As a multidisciplinary artist, Kyla is also available for consultation sessions with those interested in new forms of collaboration, or developing custom concepts across mediums.

Services include:

Hand-drawn visual art (digital & print-ready)
Custom commissions (portraits, custom pieces, designs for products, gifts, and more)
Storyboards & visual concept decks
Album art, show graphics & posters
Scene illustrations for film or video
Live drawing sessions for events, custom live comics, sceneries, and live custom art
Art direction for creative campaigns
Visual consulting for artists, creatives, and small brands
And more…

For rates, collaboration opportunities and availability, please contact Kyla below.

Workshops, Talks & Creative Education

Kyla Gaganam is an experienced workshop facilitator, creative educator, and sustainability consultant whose work bridges the worlds of art, community, STEM and systemic liberation. Her practice is grounded in teaching creativity alongside traditional STEM practices to provide pathways to creative innovation and climate solutions.

As the Program Director and Lead Curator of OFCOLOR, Kyla regularly produces and facilitates public workshops and large-scale community events throughout Austin, Texas. Her offerings center women of color and use hand-drawn visual storytelling, culture, and talks to create space for innovation, creation, and bold ecological imagination.

She has designed and led a range of educational, creative, and consulting engagements, including:

The Art of Feminine Expression at SXSW Festival 2025, a collaborative workshop with musician Hailey Orion on women’s health, feminism, and sustainable creative practice
Harvard Climate Week, where she helped organize interdisciplinary panels across science, tech, and climate justice under Salata Institute
Gulf Reach Institute’s Youth Summit, facilitating a workshop on art and climate storytelling for young leaders throughout the gulf coast of Texas
RITUALS (2024), An AAPI heritage art showcase in Austin, first of it’s kind featuring South Asian culture with over 25 artists featured in Austin Statesman where she curated and moderated a featured AAPI artist panel
Slow Fashion Sustainability Show (2024), invited speaker with a custom panel created by Kyla Gaganam exploring BIPOC heritage, ecological knowledge, and sustainable design
Lead Sustainability Consultant for the National Cricket League, where she developed the league’s first-ever Sustainability Action Plan, integrating environmental and operational strategies for sports management alongside media and community engagement management for sustainability messaging

Offerings include:

Hands-on workshops (for youth, universities, cultural spaces, or public programming)
Speaking engagements and creative keynotes
Panel moderation and event facilitation
Custom workshop design on art, BIPOC environmental justice, sustainability, and utilizing creativity for systemic change
Curriculum development and consulting for organizations interested in sustainability measures
Sustainability advising for arts, culture, and sports sectors

Book Kyla for a workshop, talk, or consulting session →