Ever seen those tiny, single-panel drawings of a naked, cherubic couple doing mundane stuff like sharing an umbrella or reading the newspaper? You know the ones. They usually start with the words "Love is..." and follow up with something bittersweet or painfully relatable. Kim Casali started drawing these on napkins for her future husband, Roberto, back in the late 1960s. She wasn't trying to build a global brand. She was just a woman in love trying to express the "indescribable" through little sketches.
It’s wild how these love is cartoon quotes took over the world.
What started as a private romantic gesture between two people in Los Angeles eventually exploded into a syndicated phenomenon appearing in newspapers across 50 countries. But here’s the thing: people often dismiss them as "sappy." They think it’s just Hallmark-level fluff. If you actually look at the history and the evolution of the series—especially after Roberto was diagnosed with terminal cancer—the quotes get much deeper. They move past the "sharing an ice cream" phase and into the "standing by you when things get ugly" phase. That’s why they still rank as some of the most shared images on Pinterest and Instagram today. They aren't just cartoons; they’re a historical record of a real relationship.
The Surprising Origin of Love Is Cartoon Quotes
Most people assume a greeting card company manufactured these. Nope. Kim Casali (formerly Kim Grove) was a New Zealander living in California who felt shy about expressing her feelings out loud. She’d leave these little drawings under Roberto’s pillow or in his pockets. It was a private language. When they finally got married in 1971, the world wanted in on the secret.
By the mid-70s, the "Love is..." brand was everywhere. But the tone shifted. In 1975, Roberto was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Suddenly, the love is cartoon quotes weren't just about sunsets. They were about hospital visits. They were about the terrifying reality of losing your person. Kim famously said that the cartoons were her diary. When Roberto died in 1976, the world was devastated. But the cartoons didn't stop. Kim commissioned London-based artist Bill Asprey to take over the drawing duties so she could focus on her family, and he has been drawing them ever since under her name.
There's a gritty reality behind the cute exterior. After Roberto passed, Kim actually had a "miracle baby" using frozen sperm—a massive controversy in the late 70s. She used the cartoon's platform to navigate grief and the complexities of modern science and ethics. It makes those little "Love is... holding hands" captions feel a lot more weighted when you realize the creator was fighting for her family's legacy in such a public, often scrutinized way.
Why These Simple Sentences Outperform Modern Poetry
We live in an era of "Instagram poetry" where everything is abstract and moody. Love is cartoon quotes work because they are the exact opposite. They are literal.
- "Love is... not complaining when he forgets the milk."
- "Love is... letting her win the argument."
- "Love is... a long walk in the rain."
They focus on "micro-moments." Sociologists often talk about "bids for connection," a term coined by Dr. John Gottman of the Gottman Institute. A bid is any attempt from one partner to another for attention, affirmation, or affection. These cartoons are essentially a catalog of successful bids. They show the small, seemingly insignificant interactions that actually hold a marriage together over forty years. It isn’t the grand vacations or the diamond rings. It’s the way you look at someone when they’re doing the dishes.
Honestly, the simplicity is the point. You don't need a PhD in literature to understand what Kim Casali was getting at. You just need to have been annoyed by someone you deeply care about.
The Most Iconic Quotes and Their Real-World Meaning
If you look through the archives—which now span over 50 years—certain themes keep popping up. These aren't just random thoughts. They reflect the shifting cultural ideas of what a partnership looks like.
One of the most famous ones is "Love is... being able to say you're sorry." It sounds cliché, right? But think about the ego involved in a long-term relationship. Apologizing is hard. Another classic is "Love is... when he brings you breakfast in bed." Back in the 70s, this was a bigger deal—a subversion of the traditional "housewife" role.
Then you have the ones that deal with aging. These are my favorite. There’s one that says "Love is... growing old together." The drawing shows the little couple with grey hair and wrinkles, but they’re still looking at each other the same way they did in 1970. It’s a visual representation of the "companionate love" phase that psychologists like Elaine Hatfield have studied extensively. It’s the stage that follows the "passionate love" phase, where the fire settles into a steady, warm hearth.
The Evolution of the Art Style
Bill Asprey has kept the flame alive, but the style has subtly shifted to keep up with the times. You’ll see the characters with laptops or smartphones now. But the core anatomy remains the same: big heads, no clothes (oddly enough, they are never "naked" in a sexual way, just purely elemental), and those huge, expressive eyes.
Critics sometimes call the art "kitsch." Maybe it is. But kitsch has a way of surviving when high art fades. These quotes aren't trying to be edgy. They are trying to be a mirror. When you see a love is cartoon quote that hits home, you don't think about the brushstrokes. You think about the person sitting on the couch next to you.
How to Use These Quotes Without Being "Cringe"
Look, if you post these every single day, your friends might mute you. But there is a right way to use this nostalgia. In a digital world that feels increasingly cynical and fast-paced, these cartoons provide a "soft" landing.
- Personalize the mundane. If your partner does something small—like fixing a squeaky door or bringing you a coffee—sending a quick "Love is..." snap can be a low-pressure way to say "I see you."
- Anniversary tributes. Using a vintage 1970s quote for a 50th anniversary post for your parents is a massive win. It connects their era to the present.
- Journaling. Many people use these as prompts. If you're struggling to connect with your feelings, look at a few of these cartoons and ask: "What did my partner do today that fits this?" It forces you to look for the good instead of the gripes.
The Psychological Impact of Romantic Simplicity
There’s a reason these quotes are still a multi-million dollar licensing business. They provide "emotional validation." When you see a cartoon about a couple arguing over a map (before GPS, obviously), you feel less alone in your own frustrations. It’s a form of "social mirroring."
Psychologist Dr. Sue Johnson, the founder of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), emphasizes the importance of secure attachment. These cartoons depict a world of "secure attachment." Even when the characters are sad or tired, they are always together. There is no threat of abandonment in the "Love is..." universe. In a world with high divorce rates and "ghosting," that kind of stability is incredibly comforting. It’s aspirational, not because it’s perfect, but because it’s persistent.
Navigating the Controversy: The "Miracle Baby" Era
It’s impossible to talk about the depth of these quotes without mentioning the 1976 controversy. After Roberto died, Kim gave birth to their third son, Milo, sixteen months later. This was through artificial insemination using Roberto’s frozen sperm—a process that was barely understood by the public at the time.
The Catholic Church and various pundits attacked her. They called it "unnatural." Kim responded through her art and her public statements, basically saying that love doesn't end just because a heart stops beating. This period of her life added a layer of fierce, protective grit to the love is cartoon quotes. It wasn't just about "holding hands" anymore. It was about the right to choose her family’s future. It turned a "cute" comic into a statement on the endurance of the human spirit.
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Actionable Ways to Bring This Energy Into Your Life
You don't need to be a cartoonist to apply the philosophy of Kim Casali. The core lesson of her work is that love is an action, usually a very small one.
Start by identifying your "Love Is" moment today. It shouldn't be a grand gesture. It should be something like: "Love is... leaving the last bit of milk for her coffee." Or "Love is... listening to him talk about his hobby for twenty minutes even though I don't get it."
Capture these. Write them down. If you’re feeling bold, draw a terrible stick-figure version and leave it somewhere your partner will find it. The "quality" of the art never mattered to Roberto, and it won't matter to your partner either. It’s the fact that you stopped your busy day to notice a tiny, positive detail about your life together. That is the true legacy of the Casali family.
Next Steps for Applying This Philosophy:
- Identify Your Daily Bid: For the next three days, look for one small thing your partner does that makes your life easier. Mention it to them using the "Love is..." framework.
- Create a Digital Time Capsule: Save a few vintage "Love is..." images that remind you of specific milestones in your relationship. Use them as digital "cards" for future celebrations.
- Audit Your Emotional Language: Notice if you’ve become too cynical about romance. If these quotes feel "too much," explore why. Often, we reject simplicity when we’re feeling disconnected or stressed.
The beauty of these quotes isn't that they are profound—it's that they are true. They remind us that while the world changes, the way humans care for each other hasn't changed much since 1970.