Loveis Wise
⤏ IN CONVERSATION WITH ASHLEY LUKASHEVSKY
⤏ PHOTOS BY TRACY NGUYEN | STYLING BY ARIEL LEBEAU | MAKE-UP + HAIR BY LOVEIS WISE
⤏ PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2020
Loveis Wise would probably want you to know that, yes, that is their real name. In addition to having the most beautiful name I have ever heard, Loveis has also spent their career as an illustrator creating beautiful artwork for clients like Google, The New York Times, and Cartoon Network. Everything Loveis creates acts as a reminder to love ourselves deeper and speak our dreams into existence. They are a double Capricorn, lover of the color pink, and have spent 3 separate weeks going into the woods with me to disappear.
ASHLEY LUKASHEVSKY: How’d you start illustrating?
LOVEIS WISE: By way of art school!
AL: Did you draw before that?
LW: I did! I’ve been drawing since I was a kid because it’s all I knew how to do and I was like, “This is it! I wanna go to art school and become a painter!”
AL: So you knew since you were little that you wanted to be an artist?
LW: I did! I knew and it was the only thing that felt right for me. I decided to go to art school later and found my way into an illustration program and it’s been like this ever since!
AL: How do you feel when you look back at your time in art school?
LW: I think back to how white the department was, and how it was run by all white men. I was often one of 3 Black kids in my classroom. I was taught illustration, but mainly through the lens of white culture. I remember thinking I really needed to bring in more Black and brown and POC illustrators and designers to show that we exist in art. It was really hard to see myself [as a full-time illustrator] because I wasn’t shown any representation of that — especially in my classroom.
AL: I feel like that’s so many people’s experiences in art school or any white institution. It’s so funny now because our whole artist community is queer people of color, or at least all people of color. It’s wild to think that this industry is still being taught by white men when I honestly could not name a white illustrator.
LW: Big fucking mood! And honestly the only reason why I know them is because I was taught them.
“ I was often one of three Black kids in my classroom. I was taught illustration, but mainly through the lens of white culture.”
AL: Because you had to learn that!
LW: I had to know them. Once I found my voice and I was able to give them some push back. I was like, “Yo, you need to know Jackie Ormes — the first Black woman cartoonist. You need to know this!” We’re making work and we’re out here!
AL: We’re the future!
LW: Exactly.
AL: On that topic, who are your favorite artists right now?
LW: Right now I really enjoy Tschabalala Self. I really enjoy —
AL: Ashley Lukashevsky!
LW: Yes! Ashley Lukashevsky!
AL: Wow, that’s so cool how you said me! Thank you, thank you so much.
LW: Yes, illustration goddess! I’m trying to think who else. Laci Jordan, Jamilla Okubo, Bisa Butler, Kezia Harrell.
AL: What is giving you inspiration right now?
LW: I’m deeply inspired by nature. We’ve spent literally the last six months going the fuck inward. I’ve really been questioning a lot about myself and the world. I want to explore diving deep into the waters of all things. I know that’s super vague.
“I always feel kinship to lavender. She’s a friendship plant. She teaches you how to be much softer to yourself and others.”
AL: Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting. And those reflections really inspire my work!
LW: Getting into the psyche of just —
AL: Being me! But that does lead to another question, how does exploring your spirituality bring you closer to yourself?
LW: Well, my spirituality has brought me a lot of information through my dreams — specifically from ancestors. I inherited a lot of stories, and they told me a bunch of their stories. That has deeply affected my work. I’m able to see myself in a different way, and see others in a way that helps me feel more connected to everything around me.
AL: I would second that, I would say that you’re the most evolved being that I know. I often feel like you’re on a plane above me.
LW: I am not! I am right here with you!
AL: And you’re just whispering nuggets of wisdom from the beyond! What’s your morning ritual?
LW: It usually starts with meditation. I might’ve dreamt the night before, so then I’ll write down my dream or scribble it out before I forget it. I make coffee and then I walk my dog!
AL: What plants do you feel kinship to right now?
LW: I always feel kinship to lavender.
AL: What do you like about her?
LW: She’s a friendship plant. She teaches you how to be much softer to yourself and others, much more kind, much more patient. Whenever you see someone with lavender, you know it’s going to be peaceful. So, I always keep lavender near me.
AL: I love that. I like to put lavender on my bed.
LW: It’s perfect for sleep. I also recently got into honeysuckle. That’s a flower essence I’ve been really digging into for heart healing and releasing. We’ve all been going through some heart pains! So using that honeysuckle helps me a lot.
AL: Does it taste good?
LW: Yeah! I have an extra one. Do you want it?
AL: Yes, thank you! I wrote this question down, and it seems kinda weird out of context, but you know what context I mean it in: what color are you?
“Know thy fucking self.”
LW: I love this question. I am orange.
AL: Why?
LW: Because orange is very big sacral energy, first and foremost.
AL: Big Sacral Energy! BSE!
LW: BSE! Orange is very playful, orange is very joyous, orange is very creative, big sun energy.
AL: BSE! What would you tell your ten year old self?
LW: I would tell ten year old me to stay fucking weird and don’t worry about what people think about you. Know thy fucking self. Know that you’re fucking amazing as you are. Do not ever change.
AL: That’s beautiful. What would you tell fifteen-year-old-scene-Loveis?
LW: Haha! I would tell scene-Loveis the same thing and embrace the wholeness of you.
AL: What would you tell twenty-one-year-old-Forever21-Loveis?
LW: Quit ‘em! Quit ‘em, girl! Leave! Please!
AL: What is your sun, moon, and rising in terms of Twilight characters?
LW: My sun and my rising are Capricorn, and I’m definitely Bella’s dad.
AL: Charlie Swan! You heard that here, folks: Charlie Swan sun and rising!
LW: And my moon is Libra, and I’m definitely Jacob.
AL: I could see you being an Alice sun. I don’t think you’re Charlie, he’s so basic.
LW: I’m definitely an Alice sun and a Jacob moon, because Jacob just wants to be fair.
AL: Unfortunately I think I have some Bella.
LW: I see it.
AL: Favorite musical artists of all time?
LW: You know I’m gonna say Stevie Wonder! I stan.
AL: What about of today? Contemporary?
LW: Today? I just got put onto this girl Thanya Iyer, she’s so good.
AL: Lianne Le Havas.
LW: Oh yeah Lianne Le Havas. Does Erykah Badu still count?
AL: Of course! Fuck, marry, kill: Kamala Harris, Mayor Garcetti, Arnold Schwarzenegger?
LW: I don’t know a lot about Garcetti.
AL: He sucks.
LW: Definitely kill him then! I might fuck around with Kamala because she seems kinda nutty, and then of course I’m marrying Schwarzenegger.
AL: What’s your dream project?
LW: To finally have rest and get paid for it.
AL: Any closing remarks?
LW: Fuck bitches get money. But, really — please take care of yourself, heal yourself, be kind to your heart. And that’s it.
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⤏ ASHLEY LUKASHEVSKY (SHE/THEY) IS A VISUAL ARTIST, ILLUSTRATOR, AND BANCHAN BITCH ORIGINALLY FROM HONOLULU. SHE BELIEVES THAT ART CAN BE USED TO CREATE A BLUEPRINT OF THE WORLD WE WANT TO LIVE IN.