ABOUT/BIO
BIOGRAPHY
Elijah Loving, a veteran graphic designer and associate professor, is also a comic book illustrator and author. His background includes an MFA in Illustration: Comics from the Academy of Art University and an MA in Studio: Painting from Pittsburg State University.
You could say he has been in the industry since childhood. Much to the chagrin of his English teachers, he always preferred creating illustrations over writing essays.
Currently, he lives in small-town Iowa, where the wide landscapes and big sky country of the US Midwest lend themselves well to sparking his imagination. He lives there with his family, who also challenge the boundaries of his imagination.
ARTIST STATEMENT
I decided to become an Illustrator and Comic Artist because I tried abstract art early in my career and discovered that stories must be foundational to everything I paint, design, and create. Thus, stories are now where I live. This historical Roman military legend, reimagined as a fantasy comic, primarily caught my eye due to the theme: “Never discount the impossible.” Comics are special to me because the reader fills in the blanks between the panels of art and becomes a part of the creation process.
For the medium, I chose ink washes and a digital process that begins with pencil sketches, transitions to inking by hand, and then is scanned and colored digitally using Photoshop (most recently with Clip Studio Paint). This hybrid process allows me to explore each page up to the final stages, balancing creative freedom with the need for efficiency. The critical element of my sequential artwork is the story itself. Visually creating drama and energy through digital and inking steps becomes essential as I work through the entire process of storyboarding the sequential art. Sharing the anti-hero’s journey presents many challenges, as does working through each stage of comic production—from writing the story to character research and layout design—much like directing a film.
Finding my voice as an artist has been a journey of twists and turns, much like the epic stories that inspire me. J.R.R. Tolkien’s works deeply influence my approach to storytelling, particularly his ability to weave richly layered worlds where the struggles of flawed, complex characters mirror timeless human experiences. His themes of hope, resilience, and the triumph of the small and unexpected resonate with my own narrative goals. Through my art, I aim to create stories that balance the grand with the intimate, inviting readers to explore the tensions between order and chaos, light and shadow, and the courage it takes to face the impossible.
RÈSUMÈ
Education
2023 MFA Illustration: Comics Academy of Art University
2005 MA Painting Pittsburg State University
2003 BA Painting & Graphic Design Graceland University
Professional Experience
Illustrator, Contractor, Elijahloving.com, Lamoni, IA
Graphic Designers/Production Design, Long Creek Graphics, Leon IA
Illustrator/Graphic Designer, Tikvah inc., Lamoni, IA
Adjunct Graphic Design Faculty, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH
Print Production Manager/Graphic Designer, 615 Graphics, Lamoni, IA
Instructor of Graphic Design, Graceland University, Lamoni, IA
Creative Specialist, Apple Inc., Kansas City, MO
Design/Illustration Tutor, Varsity Tutors, Online Tutoring
Art & Training Director, TechOrchard, Overland Park, KS
Awards
2005 Pittsburg State University, Excellence of Teaching: Office of Graduate Studies
2002 Graceland University, Shannon Award for Visual Communications
Solo Exhibitions
2016 Faculty Exhibition, Lamoni, IA
2006 So-oh Gallery, Lincoln, NE
2005 Solo Exhibition, Club 2101, Joplin, MO
2005 Homecoming Alumni Show, Guest Artist, Shaw Gallery, Lamoni, IA
2005 C of C Headquarters, Art Gallery, Independence, MO
2005 Graduate Exhibition, Harry Krug Gallery, Pittsburg, KS
Group Exhibitions
2022 Academy of Art University, Spring Show, San Francisco, CA
2022 Planet Comicon, Kansas City, MO
2020 Wizard World, Madison, WI
2010 The Circle Exhibition, Boston, MA
2010 The Circle, An International Exhibition, Kanagawa, Japan
2010 The Circle 7th Annual Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
2006 The Circle, 66 Modern, Tokyo, Japan
Published Works
The Lost Hare, Children’s book, Aaron Williams, Publishing, 2025
Teutonic Monsters Comics, Tikvah Comics, Spring 2024
The Last Colony Comic, Tikvah Comics, Spring 2020
Bibliography
Elijah Loving, Life & Work with Elijah Loving of Independence, VoyageKC, June 17, 2022, https://voyagekc.com/interview/life-work-with-elijah-loving-of-independence/
Commissions
The Lost Hare, Childrens book, Aaron Williams, Publishing, 2025
Mavec Comics, Stealth & Timber Illustration
Lobo Orginal Comic Cowboy for the 1960s
*long-form CV available upon request
WHAT IS WELLHOUSE
WellHouse is Elijah’s parent brand, the warm home that brings all of his creative work together under one roof. It connects his illustration studio, his teaching as Professor Lonker, his Patreon community, and the apps he builds for artists, like THE FRAME, Ignite, and Print Shop Lite and Pro. Wherever you meet him, WellHouse is the heart behind it.
"We are obsessed with doing the impossible, providing artists with authentic education, and empowering and giving hope to artists, from the aspiring to the professional."