Wicasta Lovelace's journey began in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, “65% through the 20th Century.” His life has been a testament to resilience, navigating the complexities of undiagnosed bipolar disorder and ADHD for nearly six decades. In 2019, he faced the abyss of suicidal ideation and survived; “A decision was made, but never implemented.”
As an artist, writer, and musician, Wicasta's creative pursuits have been driven by a desire to “give shape to shadows and images, and voice to all those weird ideas”. Despite grappling with severe depression all throughout his life, he remains steadfast in his commitment to artistic expression and completing his many ongoing projects. “My only intent,” he declares, “is to finish the work, to leave something behind that might speak for me once I'm gone.”
Wicasta's artistic endeavors span a diverse spectrum, reflecting his eclectic interests and experiences. From writing and music to visual arts, his work embodies a relentless pursuit of self-expression and creative fulfillment, as well as a late-in-life focus on exploring the realities of a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and ADHD at the age of 58. “What does that even mean?” he wonders. “Was every bad decision I ever made chained to my condition? Or, creatively speaking, what does that mean? Was I artistic and creative, or just delusional? Can I even trust myself now?”
While acknowledging the challenges of pursuing a creative path later in life, Wicasta embraces the opportunity to bring his unfinished projects to fruition. His story is a testament to the enduring power of artistic expression and the resilience of the human spirit. “I have no illusions. People my age don't start careers,” he admits. “But if there's still something left unsaid, it is an artist's duty to breathe it into existence, regardless of who's listening. Maybe no one cares. Do it anyway. Just do it.”
Residing in Saint Petersburg, Florida, with his wife, Victoria, Wicasta continues to engage with his craft while navigating the ebb and flow of everyday life. He attended Saint Petersburg College, where he earned two associate degrees, in audio engineering and computer programming respectively. He waxes philosophical on the meaning of it all going forward.
“Maybe someone will find some of these little pebbles I've left behind, squirreled away somewhere on the internet and pop culture, like acorns left behind by a forgetful squirrel. Maybe that one person I reach 100 years from now is the reason for my entire life; the crazy in them recognizes the crazy in me, you know? Maybe they won't feel so alone and overwhelmed. That's what being an artist is all about, that hope that someone might find some little piece of themselves in what you've done.”
In closing, Wicasta muses; “I stopped having any expectations in 2019. Once you put suicide on the table, you can never really take it off again. So what you do is find ways to keep going, of living with that spectre. What I create from here on is about that, and nothing else. We'll see where it goes. But I'm really fine if it goes nowhere at all. Some days just breathing is the win. Take the win.”
WICASTA LOVELACE
05/18/2023
The non-quoted text written with the assistance of ChatGPT, which modified Wicasta's original text to sound more official. The original intent was to use this copy on his Amazon Artist page bio (Amazon doesn't want it- lol).
(Turns out it's much harder writing copy about yourself than you'd think)
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