Featured in Art Saint Louis virtual gallery exhibit, “Dreamlife” (May 1-July 1, 2021): “TiltaWhirl.” 2021. Mixed Media, Collage on Cradled Panel, 18”x24”. $525 unframed.
Artist’s statement: “In my dreams landscapes are fantastical. Shapes are whimsical with vibrant colors and patterns not seen in reality. My dream landscapes are magical and wondrous. These "dreamscapes" are happy places and my idea of heaven. I use stenciling and mark making to paint papers which I then tear into the shapes of the landscape. They are collaged onto wood panel after the sky is painted with acrylic.”
Roxanne Phillips: If you're having trouble making a piece what do you do? Lisa Crisman: If I'm having trouble with a piece I usually try to leave it alone and look at it with fresh eyes the next day. I usually don't "give up" on a piece. I'll try to work through it with adjusting the composition or color.
RP: How/when do you know your piece you're working on is good enough to call done? LC: I usually know a piece is done when it feels complete. When I look at it, it "feels" balanced and I've said everything I want to communicate in the piece.
RP: Do you ever wonder about your artwork once it leaves your hands? LC: Yes, they are my babies and I think about them. My art has given me joy in the making of it and once sold and out of my hands, it brings joy to another family. So it makes me happy that my art is bringing joy to others.
RP: What is the biggest challenge with being an artist and juggling all life throws at you? LC: I feel that my biggest challenge (and I know other artists share this belief) is that I must wear many hats and juggle my creative time actually making art with marketing my art and other aspects of running my business.
RP: What was your career path? How did you get from being an aspiring artist to doing it? LC: I worked as a Respiratory Therapist for many years in order to support my family. However, I ALWAYS wanted to be an artist. I finally just madeit happen and dove in headfirst with art fairs.
RP: How has your art evolved thought the years and describe the different stages of creating?
LC: I've always loved drawing and I felt like I had a unique/quirky perspective. When I began doing art fairs I was doing pastels and watercolors. I really enjoyed using vibrant non-local color. Frustration with framing and a desire to explore different media led me to mixed media. My stages of creating involve an initial sketch, then thinking about a color palette. At that point I paint watercolor paper and add texture with stenciling and mark making. Then these papers get torn into the shapes of the landscape. The sky is painted with acrylic then the pieces of the landscape are collaged onto wood panel.
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