The Makings of a Bird's Nest

Bird's Nest by Lisa Goesling

After coming upon a fully intact birds nest outside of our home, I marveled at how such a tiny creature can create something so complex? I searched around for similar materials and the idea of deconstructing a bird's nest was born. I thoroughly enjoy pushing the boundaries of any medium to discover what happens, so I added elements like natural materials, a small painting on canvas and drawings throughout the scratchboard surface. I am constantly thinking about the hierarchy of layers, in this case I covered the background with subtle black lines drawn with an X-ACTO knife and filled in with black ink. As I began to build this piece, I imagined the viewer looking down into it, just like I had done when first discovering the bird's nest. The entire scratchboard forms the top of a 32" high pedestal which is 22"x22" around. 

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION

Spontaneous Combustion 1 by Lisa Goesling

Spontaneous Combustion 2 by Lisa Goesling

Spontaneous Combustion 3 by Lisa Goesling

My new series, Spontaneous Combustion, is a journey into Lyrical Expressionism. I am discovering all sorts of new things about both me and my medium, Scratchboard. Every time I make a mark it leads to another mark. And while I don't plan any of my art, at least I have a basic idea of what the form of a flower looks like. In this instance, it is a complete leap of faith. Layers of shapes and patterns spill across the boards creating a rhythm that appears to inhale and exhale. 

The End of the Story

Orchid Bud by Lisa Goesling

This single Orchid Bud, no larger than a dime, really intrigued me. There was nothing particularly grand about it when viewed through the naked eye, but once I placed my magnifying glass between my eye and this bud, something truly unexpected occurred. An undulating structure, more brain-like than flower appeared, filled with an array of colors that weren't there a minute ago.

After hours of capturing the twisted layers that formed this tiny bud, I finally had it framed and put on display. 

Normally that would have been the end of it. But not in this case, in this case I knew that there was more to the story. 

Back to the drawing board, I introduced the evolution of an orchid, contrasting the buds tight shapes with the suggestion of a fully realized flower. 

Uprooted

Uprooted by Lisa Goesling

It's fascinating to me that roots hidden deep below the surface of the Earth can mimic what rises above them. 

Complicated systems of 'branches' weaving in and out, soil still clinging to their armature even though the roots were removed from the ground weeks ago. The only thing that has shown signs of passing are the leaves, still attached but twisted into something very different from their previous incarnation. 

A Single 'Shroom

A Single 'Shroom by Lisa Goesling

I am not sure how many hours went into this piece. It's been breathing in my studio for a while. There are always questions lying somewhere in my subconscious, do I leave out some of my subject, if so, how much? Does it tell the whole story without the whole mushroom? Is it necessary to add color? Is it more powerful black and white? What about the background, add a soil like texture to contrast the smooth lines? Every artist constantly deals with editing questions along the way, knowing that each choice takes them down a different path. Since I don't sketch my art first, I never really know which direction I am going until I know that I have arrived. 

Multiple Lilies

Multiple Lilies by Lisa Goesling

My goal is to tell nature’s stories. Fine lines form these delicate buds giving us no indication of what surprises await. Then suddenly we are greeted with a burst of energy of brightly colored petals, some upon closer inspection are filled with every color in the rainbow. These powerful images soon evolve into shriveled up silhouettes complete with their own mysteries. They twist and turn creating a beautiful ending to their compelling story. 

Bark

Bark by Lisa Goesling

I've walked past this incredible tree for twenty-five years. Eastern Cottonwoods have been known to live up to 300 years; who knows how many people have stopped to marvel at this majestic beauty right by the creek, with its deep fissures and subtle colors. I always knew that some day it would become my muse, now is that time. I finally dove in after photographing it from every angle and studying it up close. Capturing the complex structure of the bark with it's multiple layers, sent me on a journey of deep discovery into form and pattern. Bark is one of several pieces that will ultimately make up my birds nest cube 'sculpture'. 

Mushroom in Progress

Mushroom by Lisa Goesling

This is just a rough shot of my Mushroom Art. The form is so complex complete with textures and repetitive lines, what a pleasure to draw! It's prehistoric abstract shapes mimic creatures found under the sea. This Mushroom will be a part of my Close To The Sun series. The gills, wide, thin sheets like plates, radiate in all directions from the stem. 

Inside of an Iris Wins an Award of Excellence

Inside of an Iris by Lisa Goesling

Anders Bergesen of Superultraplus Designstudio contacted me a while back asking if I would be interested in having my art on the cover of Colum McCann's novel, TransAtlantic. I am a big fan of Colum's work and was so intrigued by Anders vision to incorporate my art into the story. The end result is that the book cover won a Wooden Pencil/Creative Excellence Award at the D&AD Awards 2015 in London. Anders is such a talented designer, I am so pleased to be a part of his success.  

Study for 3D Cube

Materials to study for adding to 3D Cube

Study of dried brush materials for 3D Cube by Lisa Goesling

I am in the process of studying materials I've collected for my 20"x20"x6" 3D Cube project. Small paintings like this one will be mounted on both the scratchboard and mixed media sides of the cube. It's a bit of a diversion for me to re-explore the world of paint after concentrating on scratchboard for so long. The challenge always comes down to editing; what to leave in, what to leave out, capturing the very essence of the story. 

Eco-Psychology

Ererumus, 3 Points of View, Cut Cabbage and Oregano by Lisa Goesling

My work has been on display at Dr. Sylvia Hood Washington's Eco-Gallery since Earth Day. Dr. Washington opened her gallery last year with the goal of featuring artists who fulfill the concept of Eco-Psychology, the relationship between human beings and the natural world through ecological and psychological principles. The field seeks to develop and understand ways of expanding the emotional connection between individuals and the natural world. Surrounding yourself with nature and viewing images of it's beauty, actually changes the way we feel. 

Dr. Washington is an Environmental Engineer, Environmental Epidemiologist, an award winning NASA Sr. Project Engineer, a Chemical Engineer, Lecturer, (she just spoke at a conference with Al Gore) and is LEED AP ID+C. If that's not enough, she is a supporter of the arts, which is what lead her to marry her love for the environment with her love of art. When she contacted me, she said that she had been following my art for some time and just had to ask if I would show at her gallery. "It is the perfect example of Eco-Psychology at work."

3D Cube

Birds Nest in Progress by Lisa Goesling

I love finding little gifts waiting for me outside; they become my muse for a few weeks, or in this case several months! A simple birds nest with a few cracked eggs-instantly consuming my thoughts..."how do I capture this?" After photographing the nest from all angles to make certain I had a good representation of it before it disintegrated; I gathered similar materials from the yard, dried up brush, twigs, leaves and pine needles. For this piece, I am using a 2 sided box that is 20"x20" and 6" deep, one side is a black scratchboard, the other white aqua board. You can see how I treated the black side by using an X-Acto knife to draw layers of dried brush. In addition to capturing the movement and delicacy of the materials, I intend to add smaller paintings and black scratchboards to the surface. I like the idea of providing multiple layers of interest and will repeat this technique on the other side with a mix of photography, paintings, drawings and actual brush. 

Close to the Sun 2

Close to the Sun 2/Rambutan by Lisa Goesling

I don't know if this happens to you, but I can't walk into the produce section without being drawn to the unusual shapes, textures and colors that abound. I had no idea what a Rambutan but was instantly inspired. Rambut is the Malay word for "hair", which these tiny fruits from Southeast Asia have an abundance of. Their spikey texture left me to wondering about the brave (likely hungry) souls who took a chance on this unusual fruit in the first place. I couldn't wait to study this unfamiliar fruit for my latest in a series of how nature mimics our sun. The first of which, Close to the Sun, is my transformation of the unremarkable sunflower into an image that plays homage to the sun. 

Close to the Sun by Lisa Goesling

ARTIST TALK, SAIC

Looking forward to giving an Artist Talk at the School of the Art Institute, Chicago on Friday, March 13th. 

Pussy Willows All Lined Up

Pussy Willows All Lined Up by Lisa Goesling

The individual designs from one catkin to the next are so intriguing, I continue to be 'drawn' to them time and again. These stunning examples of natures ability to combine bold and soft, feed my passion for capturing every detail. 

Lacy Leaf Commission

JS Lacy Leaf

Gazing upon this gorgeous leaf, eaten away by bugs and left on a wooded path, all I could think of was, it's like a beautiful poem. The gracefulness of the lines, the layering of the shapes all working together to evolve into a totally new version of itself.  When Tammy Kohl of Takohl Gallery contacted me about creating a commission of a 'lacy leaf', I knew that it had to be this one. What a pleasure to inject new life into this crunchy old leaf. 

PROGRESS ON MY MAGNIFIED ORCHID BUD

Orchid Bud 15x by Lisa Goesling

I thought I would post my progress on Orchid Bud 15x. I am enjoying the many twists and turns that this tiny bud takes. It's filled with minute details allowing me to bring out the dimension that separates each shape. I am leaving the bit of color on top and may add a little more on the second section of the bud, that remains to be seen!

New Series-Multiple Orchids

The first installment of my new series of Orchids features a single bud the size of a dime. This 14"x10" artwork is only about an eighth of the way through. I used an attachment lens on my iPhone camera called an olloclip which slips right over the lens. It enables me to magnify the bud about 15x the actual size capturing a lot of detail missed by the naked eye. By piecing together a variety of views, I've developed patterns and shapes that if you use your imagination, seem to mimic the forms of the human brain.

Upcoming Group Exhibition: January 5th - 30th, 2015

Experimenting with Orchids

An art buyer friend who is equally as enthralled with orchids as I am, recommended that I visit Orchids by Hausermann in Villa Park, IL. Strolling through greenhouse after greenhouse filled with every shape, color and pattern you can imagine, absolutely took my breath away! All I could think of was, "how fun would it be to surround yourself with this kind of beauty every day?" The inspiration for this piece came from an orchid filled with buds. It graces my studio and should prove to give me countless opportunities for growth both with the orchid, and in my art. 

Always trying to push the medium, I experimented with different techniques. In this case, I added both black (on the left) and dark purple acrylic paint (on the right) in the background by using an etching tool creating strokes within the wet paint. There is interest on every level, from the details within each flower to the texture of the background.