My project for course: Human interest stories: bring narratives to life

There’s a distinct sense of movement in the work of Lo Harris. Her characters are often dancing or laughing — or living their best lives at the nail salon or local brunch spot. Even when they’re posing still, Harris’ vibrant color palette and swirling backgrounds give a sense of energy to each scene.

It’s all part of what the artist, educator and children’s book illustrator calls the “Lo Harris Universe.” Moving between mediums and tools, Harris looks for the projects that resonate with her aesthetics, as well as her personal interests.
Harris has illustrated two children’s books: aMichael Jordan biographical kids’ book as part of the Little People BIG Dreams series and Mama’s Home, written by Shay Youngblood. She designed a shirt for Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and created a wildly popular GIPHY sticker. And those are just a few examples of her creative practice. No matter the format, she focuses on projects and collaborations that feel truly authentic.

“This Lo Harris thing is not a brand. It’s not a front,” says Harris. “It’s not a curated experience. It’s a very honest and authentic expression of my own joy and how my mind works.”

Harris remembers saving up funds from Christmas gift money to get a Wacom tablet as a kid. She spent her time practicing how to draw hands and get proportions right.

“That fundamental training and learning how to do human anatomy when I was a pre-teen really gave me the fundamental baseline to start breaking the rules and start making up my own rules as an artist,” says Harris.

In her home studio, Harris often plays jazz, bossa nova and R&B to get into a creative groove. She envisions and stages new types of products she wants to bring to life, whether it’s a home decor item like a clock or a large piece like a backlit canvas. Nearby, her cat Potato often supervises.

But it’s not just about creating her own art. Harris makes it a priority to share knowledge and resources with others, primarily through social media.

Harris realized the importance of creating her own opportunities and sharing her insights with others during a pivotal career moment. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Harris worked at a news company previously. She asked if she could pitch ideas for on-camera programming, but was told she didn’t have “the look to be on camera.”

She realized that as a Black woman, she needed to give herself the chances that big industries might not. As a Black creative herself, she recognizes the ways in which many Black artists are “incentivized to be protective of their privilege” within an industry that reminds them they are “lucky” to be there in the first place.

“It is very important for me not to gatekeep,” says Harris. “There’s this weird tokenization that happens with Black artists where it’s like, “Hey, we have Black History Month down. We have one Black person on the team, we have one Black executive — so that’s enough. We’ve served our purpose. Now it’s time to go back to hiring the good ol’ boys’” says Harris.

On Instagram, Harris hosts “1:1 with Lo: An Interview Series for Creative Professionals.” Past guests have included author and illustrator Queenbe Monyei, artist and creative strategist Dwight White and journalist and artist Zinhle Essamuah.

“It was really important that if people aren’t gonna give me my talk show, if people aren’t going to choose me to host that panel, if people aren't gonna go looking for me, then I need to make things for myself and just have a good time,” Harris says.

Next, Harris wants to focus on lifestyle products and hopes to create items that are motivating and encouraging. She remembers the widespread love of Lisa Frank items as a kid — but also the lack of representation for POC kids in the whimsical products. The Lo Harris universe is ready to expand.

“It’s high time that we have that experience for all folks,” says Harris. “And that all girls can grow up getting these backpacks and feeling seen — and seeing these recurring characters and being in love with school supplies... That’s definitely a long-term project.”