Die-Cut Vintage Camera Graphic designed by Maya and David Richey for F10, featuring Alcazar, Birba, Cheeky’s and Jia logos - circa 2013

One of our core goals at F10 is to support local businesses, artists, musicians, and creatives of all types. You can see this collaboration at work through our Local 622 music series, the handmade leather menus at Mr. Lyons, the murals in the Birba bathroom, and the graphic design and branding that goes into each and every one of our concepts (just to name a few!). Maya Kalabic has been an integral part of so many of our iconic graphics over the years, since 2012 in fact. She has been instrumental in helping us define the look and feel of Cheeky’s, Alcazar, Mr. Lyons, Birba, and its beloved heart logo, along with our more recent concept, High/Low located in Oceanside Ca. featuring beachside brunches from local farms. It would be nearly impossible to visit an F10 establishment without seeing something Maya has helped us create. We wanted to give thanks to Maya and learn more about her history as a graphic designer, her workflow, and how she brings design ideas to life.

Tell us a little bit about where you grew up and how you became a multimedia designer?

I grew up in former Yugoslavia. I went to art school in the US and decided to major in graphic arts and visual communication/multimedia. I never believed I could live just off the art so that became secondary. I do love what I do and it’s more than just a job. I feel it’s still my art but I use mostly digital tools. I really care about typography, contrast, direction, and balance in every project. I like to create with strong type and clean and functional elements. I am also doing more illustrations and that makes me completely happy because it’s a combination of both.

How did you meet David Richey (F10 Creative/Brand Coordinator) and get involved with creating graphics for us?

David Richey (left) and Maya Kalabic (right)

I met David Richey at Birba when it just opened and it was an instant friendship. I worked a day job (also graphics) at the time and freelanced in the evenings and on nights and weekends. Soon after meeting David, I started working independently - he was a huge supporter. Our first project was a brochure for Alcazar (2012) then we worked on an amazing die-cut card of an old camera that featured logos for Alcazar, Birba, Jiao and Cheeky’s this is before F10 (2013). Many years and projects later for F10 and other clients we are still working together and know each other so well that he can tell me one word and I understand his direction or develop an idea to finished design. It’s a very rare and rich personal and work relationship.

What are some of your aesthetic inspirations?

What inspires me is minimalistic elegance, a clean and modern style mostly. I’m not sure I achieve this all the time, but I do try. There are many designers and friends whose works inspire me. Everything inspires me on daily basis, even if I am not designing I am thinking about it 24/7. Like seeing dirty walls in the subway, alleys, and organized trash cans, nature, and my surroundings, colors, shapes, people, packaging, scent, graffiti and murals, weather, seasons, conversations, music, humanity, and animals.

When David comes to you with an idea how do you translate that into a visual illustration?

Ah, David is different… I feel like I know him and his style. Even if David gives me free creative control over a project I still tend to think about what he would like in a design. Luckily we have similar tastes and see the same beauty in things. For example, we worked on some Birba posters recently and all he says is “Vignelli” and I got it. I also know F10 brands so well since we have worked on them together from the very beginning. Overall, I mostly use my creative process (listening, thinking, and visualizing) along with knowledge and experience paired with the client's needs to bring the project together.

Vignelli inspired Birba Brunch Posters for F10 - 3 color ways

What are some design trends you are loving right now?

Right now I am loving and doing a lot of GIF creations and animated videos.

What are your favorite tools to use to create your designs?

Adobe software and mostly the pen tool. I do also like when a project comes and I get to work with my hands like paper, scissors, scanner, and print - physical type arrangements.

Are there particular color palettes, shapes, or designs choices you gravitate towards?

In my paintings, I like to use bright colors, clean lines, and characters like illustrations that I would like to use more in the graphic design. Color palettes, shapes, and choices I make are a thoughtful process for each client and their brand. When the project is 100% open to my creative ideas I like a lot of negative space white mostly and prefer solid colors and lower opacity.

What are some of your favorite illustrations you’ve designed for F10?

I like the Birba heart with a continuous line to create a definition of Birba: 1) rascal 2) scoundrel. That was a fun project. I also enjoyed the last illustrations for Mr. Lyons posters (mid-century modern architectural illustration) and Mixology classes (reminds me of Saul Bass illustrations) and also High / Low icons and the Surfing Santa for Holiday In Oside (12 Days of Xmas) that was super fun - I surprised myself with the style that I went for it in that design. It makes me really excited when I get to illustrate something and add some unique personality to the design.

Tell us about your workflow and process?

I never stop thinking about it. I can’t go to the store without thinking about design, packaging, road signs, and billboards, it’s everywhere and in my head. I think and visualize but mostly listen and translate all the information to build something cohesive. It also happens that I sit down to start a project I had envisioned and it takes a whole other turn and it’s spontaneous and nothing like I imagined. Those surprises are the best. Also knowing when to just stop and feel that I am happy with it.

How many iterations of a design do you typically go through before landing on the final design?

If it’s branding and logos in my proposal I say I would provide three but I always provide more than that. I sometimes can’t stop myself. For other projects depending on how elaborate I do one and go from there. Or a few in different color schemes. Sometimes it’s approved after first proof and if not it’s mostly back and forth changes but client’s edits, text mostly. It happens that client has no idea what they want until I build something and then they say “yes” this or “yes this” but add “that”. I don’t like working too long on one project, the more I work on it the less I like it. It happens that I lose the initial excitement and passion for it. It transforms into something totally different and not mine.

We would love to learn more about your work as an illustrator and fine artist outside of graphic design. Are there any current or past projects or commissions you’d want to highlight?

Lately, I haven’t done much of my art projects. Work has luckily picked up since the pandemic kinda slowed us all down but the other night I started new clay sculptures that I am excited about. They are called “Natural Friends” kind of like little yetis that can be found in my paintings. I might wait for other free evenings to complete those. I also created a short personal illustration/animation project. It’s a story about the process of enrolling in my 1st grade in elementary school entitled, “Am I Ready?”

I do a lot of small illustrations for myself in between work projects that don’t take much time but allow me to take a break and do something different.

I am preparing for another art exhibit but don’t have the details yet. Mostly acrylics on canvas.

Am I Ready? from Maja Kalabic on Vimeo.

What are some of your professional goals for 2022?

To keep doing what I do and that work keeps coming. I would like to introduce more illustrations into my design, and to continue to strive for a good balance between work and personal projects. To exhibit more art.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Just to keep growing happily in all aspects of life.