Luke Hillestad is a kitsch painter living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Working in the tradition of the ancient painter Apelles, he aims towards the primal beauty of humans at their most noble, with narratives that center on themes of death, kinship, ritual, and wilderness. He is represented by Copro Gallery in Los Angeles, Flanders Gallery and Rogue Buddha Gallery in Minneapolis. His work has also been exhibited in Florida, Chicago, Nashville, Norway, Spain, and Germany.