Lisa Pavia: Meet the Artist
My name is Lisa Pavia and I’m a Grand Rapids-based illustrator. I am originally from Flushing, Michigan—on the east side of the state—but moved here about ten years ago to go to Kendall College of Art & Design. I majored in graphic design and took a few printmaking classes while I was there, and that really pushed my style to become more illustrative and hand-done. After graduating and working in the design field for a bit, I pivoted to focus solely on illustration. I now work as a freelancer and also make custom house/pet portraits and sell prints, stickers, and other items at markets and online.
Q: How did you get involved with Lions and Rabbits?
A: Lions & Rabbits had put out a Call for Artists for the Barricades project in 2021. A couple of my friends, who had worked with Lions & Rabbits before, suggested that I apply. I had only done one mural project in the past and I was ecstatic about this opportunity and that they believed in me and my work. This was my first project with Lions & Rabbits but I was aware of them from their involvement in the community and events around the city.
Q: What themes/ideas are highlighted in your work? Intentions?
A: A lot of the themes/ideas in my work revolve around feelings like nostalgia and comfort and I hope that these are things people can relate to and find joy in. I have a 90s series that highlights various toys, movies, games, and other items from this era. Something I love about this series is that it almost always starts a conversation with people and I get to hear their unique stories and memories around these items—which color Gameboy they had or how their friend had a Furby that was super creepy and talked all night. We get to connect about the similar and different experiences we each had. Those connections and conversations are important to me.I also draw houses, pets, and a lot of food-based artwork. Though different subjects, I feel that each of these things provides a sense of comfort. Houses and pets have so much personality and uniqueness to them. They each hold so many special memories to the person commissioning the artwork and I love the opportunity to capture that for someone. Food is something that connects us all and brings us together —sharing recipes, sharing meals—and it’s also really fun to draw. I guess my intention through all of these different themes is connection.
After Dark 2021: Kingmas Market
Q: Run us through your creative process - How do you start, flow and finish?
A: I always start with a sketchbook and pencil. I sketch out different ideas and concepts and then start to draw a larger piece. Once I’m happy with it, I use a sharpie or ink pen and go over the pencil sketch. I scan in the line art sketch and color it digitally. The hand-drawn sketch is super important to my process as it’s how I get and maintain the funky imperfect lines that are consistent throughout my work. I feel like my background in graphic design lends itself a lot to my process and the way I draw and finish a piece.
Q: What obstacles/struggles have you encountered throughout your career as an artist? Or challenges you face through your creative process
A: One thing that is a struggle to me is social media/content creation and the faster pace of that. I love connecting with people on Instagram and seeing other artists’ work, but sometimes I feel pressured to crank out work and showcase it quickly. I'm learning the balance of it all and when to take breaks for mental health.
Q: Can you share a little more about how your art career started. Have you always been in your field? Were you self taught or had additional schooling?
A: Before going to KCAD, I was starting to study nutrition sciences at MSU, and before that, I was taking classes for photojournalism at Mott Community College. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do and it took some time and various classes for me to realize what I liked and didn’t like. I always loved art and drawing and when I found out about graphic design, that felt like the right path for me. After graduating and a few years in the design field, I decided to pursue my passion for illustration. I applied to a summer illustration residency program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2019 and moved there on my own for a couple of months. I met some incredible people and learned a ton about the illustration field. It gave me the push I needed to change paths and to really figure out my style and process. Even though I didn’t take those original paths in school—I think my passion for food, photography, and writing still comes up in my illustration work to this day.
Q: Who/what are your biggest inspirations that play a key role in the work you produce?
A: My partner, my family, and my friends. I have a group of friends that are so supportive of one another and they inspire me every single day. We work on creative projects together like still life drawing nights or backyard art events and it really pushes me to try new things and keep growing. Seeing all of them doing what they love and being able to share that with one another is a huge inspiration to me.
Q: Is there anything you wish you could change about your work?
A: I would like to work with other mediums more, such as colored pencils, markers, and various paints. I’ve really enjoyed working with paint because you can’t undo things the way you can digitally and I like the challenge and process of that. I think it would be fun to see my work take on different forms than I'm used to.
Q: What mistakes have you made? What did you learn from them? What are you trying to get better at?
A: Saying yes to everything especially projects that weren't a good fit for me or my work. I used to think that projects would stop coming if I said no and I would take on more than I could handle creatively or mentally. I would get burnt out and not be excited about some of the work I was doing. I’m not saying that everything will be constantly enjoyable or easy, but I learned that it’s okay to say no to jobs or projects that I don’t feel are the right fit for me and my style; or that I don’t have the capacity for at the moment. I also learned that people will understand and appreciate my honesty. It’s tough to say no sometimes and I’m still working on it but it gives me more space to focus on the types of projects I want to work on as an artist and also focus on taking care of myself as a human being.
Q: Do you feel supported by your community as an artist? In what ways could you feel more supported?
A: Very! I love Grand Rapids and how supportive this community is of the arts, food, small businesses, and people pursuing their passions whatever they are. It really is something special and it seems to be growing more in that direction every year.
Q: Describe a moment when you felt most proud of yourself
A: I was really proud of myself for the Barricade project with Lions & Rabbits last year. I hadn’t done large-scale painting like that in a couple of years and I was really nervous going into it. I ended up having an absolute blast and loved being outside painting in that setting. It was so cool to be pushed creatively in that way and to see my work in a different space. I fell in love with it and can’t wait to work on more mural projects in the future after having that experience. It’s a lot of work and it gave me even more appreciation for all of the murals we have around GR.
Barricades 2021
Q: What's most important to you about what you create, and how it impacts others?
A: Knowing that it is connecting to and relating to people, and also that it was true to me. I hope it can bring people a sense of joy or familiarity, and be a bright spot in someone's day.
Q: What's next? What are you currently focusing on or looking forward to?
A: I’m working on some merch and other projects for Sparrows Coffee where I work part-time as a barista. I love the people I work with there, so every project is a blast brainstorming and executing with them. We just came out with some astrology coffee pins that I got to do some illustrations for. It was fun researching both coffee and astrology and blending both of those into a unique design for each sign. Check them out at the Wealthy St. shop!
Q: What does being an artist mean to you? What is the function of artists in society?
A: Being an artist to me means being a storyteller and a communicator. I believe that art has the potential to help people understand something better or see something differently. It can communicate a feeling or story in an approachable way. It’s so important. Art gets people talking to one another, and questioning and thinking about things. It’s a way for us to connect to one another and learn and grow and share. It can also inspire people to express themselves and share their stories.
Q: And of course, if you could chose any vehicle to travel, real or imaginary what would it be?
A: Vespa 🛵 my dream since the Lizzie McGuire Movie came out lol
Follow more of Lisa’s work on https://lisapavia.com/ and instagram.com/lisa.pavia
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