Born on the 4th of July in 1966 to a secretary from Queens and a cash register mechanic from Brooklyn, Gary Kaleda grew to develop a visual language all his own. His natural artistic talents became apparent in high school, and with encouragement from an art teacher, his early work led to a scholarship to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. While there, Kaleda was able to experience art and the creation of art like never before. His work drew recognition and accolades from students and professors alike, and he graduated with honors in 1988.
After college, Kaleda took a job compositing photographic proofs for a company that manufactured retouching stations. Surrounded by state-of-the-art computers and graphics hardware, he was immediately drawn to the technology. It was here that mixing the science of computers with the art of painting first entered his mind. Although he continued to paint traditionally, Kaleda soon purchased his first computer and began experimenting.