Meet Lorik Khodaverdian | Illustrator and Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lorik Khodaverdian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lorik, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born and raised in Sweden to Armenian parents. We moved to the US when I was 11, and LA has been home ever since. My parents, both dentists, really emphasized the importance of education. Though they never explicitly told me to follow their path, I always felt an underlying pressure to achieve at their level.

Adapting to life in the US was a culture shock. Being shy and insecure in a new country made it tough for me to speak up for myself. Everyone seemed so loud, and I found comfort in being by myself. I spent most of my time at home drawing, which became my outlet for expressing myself. I still find it challenging to get words out, but drawing how I feel has always come to me naturally.

Given the sacrifices my parents made, I often felt like chasing after art and design dreams wasn’t serious enough. I went to architecture school, thinking it perfectly balanced design and seriousness. But after several years of being miserable, I took a leap and headed to graphic design school in New York, where I, for the first time, felt like I was at home, around people who understood me and appreciated the stuff I had been making. That taste of acceptance made me realize that what I love to do isn’t silly at all.

Recently, I feel like I’ve transformed into a new person. Grief has occupied a very large part of me since my mother passed from Parkinson’s Disease. Suddenly, drawing, which used to come so easily, sometimes doesn’t come at all. It bothers me, but I know that I must let this phase run its course. On the flip side, I’ve felt myself become more vocal. I am speaking my mind more. It’s as if my art brain needed a break for this new side of me to pop up. All the ups and downs have polished me into who I am today. I’m still a work in progress, but I’m excited to continue growing as a person and an artist.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
​I’ve always enjoyed and worked with traditional mediums, especially watercolors, but these days, I work mainly digitally. My aim is to create pieces that are whimsical yet relatable somehow and hopefully resonate emotionally with people. I love telling stories through my art and capturing different emotions. I’ve been going through a phase where inspiration and motivation have been hard to find. In these moments, I don’t push myself too hard. Instead, I focus on finding the joy of creating without a specific goal in mind. I want to have fun and let things flow naturally. I’m learning to be patient with my art and, more importantly, with myself. There is a huge list of things I’d love to fix or improve immediately, but I’ve come to understand that progress happens gradually, and I need to focus on taking one baby step at a time.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever my best friend Yli visits me, we aim to eat as much good food as possible. Here is a glimpse of what we’d indulge in, more or less:

Monday:
-Breakfast/Lunch at Byblos Mediterranean Bakery in La Crescenta.
-Visit the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington Library to slow down, walk around, and talk. Check out their Rose Garden Tea Room!
-Stop by Mandarin Coffee Stand in Pasadena for good coffee. Their Gui Hua Latte is the best.

Tuesday:
-Brunch at République – Their bacon is amazing.
-Head over to the LACMA or the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
-Get Swedish candy from Sockerbit Candy.
-Enjoy a good burger from Amboy Quality Meats.

Wednesday:
-Breakfast (and a slice of Princess Cake) at Berolina Bakery in Glendale. I always go here when I miss Sweden.
-Visit Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra for some artistic inspiration.
-Have dumplings for dinner at Mama Lu’s Dumpling House in Monterey Park.

Thursday:
-Walk around Chinatown and visit Paper Plant Co. to check out their amazing stationery while sipping on a Matcha latte from Thank You Coffee.
-Head to Griffith Observatory for nice views and the planetarium show.
-Wi Spa in Koreatown for dinner, relaxation, and cozy vibes.

Friday:
-Visit the Getty Museum in the morning.
-Grab breakfast and pastries from Gjusta and walk to the beach.
-Enjoy a kebab for dinner made by my dad, or go to Raffi’s Place in Glendale for the next best thing.

Saturday:
-Grab brunch at Joy in Highland Park.
-Walk around nearby stationery stores (Shorthand, Crush & Touch).
-See a concert at the Disney Concert Hall.

Sunday:
-Visit Kinokuniya bookstore in Little Tokyo for more inspiration.
-Eat at Wurstkuche, grab a slice from Prince Street Pizza, and top it off with ice cream from Somi Somi.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to give a massive shoutout to my dad! His support and love has always been unwavering. We’ve been each other’s sidekicks throughout all the twists and turns of life, and I love him so much. When I’m working on something and need an extra pair of eyes to give me an honest opinion, I go to him. Not only is he an excellent dentist, but he is also a very talented artist himself.

Website: https://www.hellololo.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolokhod/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorik-khodaverdian/