Across The Board / June 21, 2018 by Lisa Goesling

Detail of Across The Board by Lisa Goesling

Across The Board has been been running around inside of my head for some time...I finally made it happen. One of the key aspects about my art is the amount of movement I can develop through line. I began this piece by deciding that it would be a total of eight feet wide. (This is the first of two sections, the other one is still in the works.)

My goal is to create an intimate conversation with the viewer so I try not to work too large. I designed this hanging 'sculpture' to glide in and out from the wall. It reaches 21" high by 96" wide, allowing the viewer to take their time as they engage with each individual piece. The content is filled with images from nature along with abstract shapes. Each panel was created by drawing with an X-ACTO knife into boards made of India Ink and clay. The magic happens when I drag my knife through the layers, slowly but surely patterns begin to emerge. Values are achieved by varying the pressure with my tool, and textures by painting with acrylic artist color. I hope that you see something new in Across The Board every time you view it.

Thank you Bruce Starrenburg Photography, www.bstarrenburg.com, for doing a beautiful job of capturing my art. And thank you, Gemini Builds It, www.geminibuildsit.com, for your constant attention to building the structure that supports Across The Board.

UNFOLDING / August 17, 2017 by Lisa Goesling

I finished this piece just in time. It is one of eighteen works of art that will be on display at the Union League Club of Chicago during the month of September.

Unfolding measures 36.5" x 15.5" and presented some challenges, as does every creation. I knew that I wanted to add color, but how much color and where? I knew that I wanted to leave some images unfinished to show the process and also wanted to embellish the background.

Every Artist understands the degree of problem solving that occurs when facing a work of art. Since I don't really plan what is going to happen, I am always surprised by the end product. It is a leap of faith and making mistakes is always part of my process. I love making mistakes because they lead me down a path I would never have considered.

Here are a few details of Unfolding, you can see some of my decisions, like making one single flower a deeper black than the others, and choosing to paint the flowers a different color than they actually were, allowing their forms to make a stronger statement.

I hope that you can join us at the opening at the Union League Club's Third Floor Gallery on Thursday, September 7th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.

Uprooted / September 1, 2015 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.

Multiple Lilies / July 9, 2015 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.

Mushroom in Progress / June 14, 2015 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.

Mother Nature / April 30, 2014 by Lisa Goesling

Top: Art of a Catkin from a Pussy Willow and a Fingerprint. Bottom: Lacy Leaf and Dragonfly by Lisa Goesling

Have you ever noticed how much nature's patterns repeat themselves? I first became truly aware when I was drawing a dragonfly. Not long before, I had completed a black and white scratchboard of a leaf eaten away by bugs. I named it Lacy Leaf because the patterns were so delicate and intricate, just like a fine piece of lace.

When I began to study the dragonfly, it too had a detailed pattern, much like the leaf. I was stunned by how the same seemingly random shapes fit together to form a majestic dragonfly.

Just the other day a friend came across one of my scratchboards of Pussy Willows. Her immediate response was, "they look like fingerprints!"

By this point, I was well aware of designs repeating themselves in birds, insects, plants and flowers. What I hadn't considered was that we share similar patterns with the rest of nature. All I had to do was to take a closer look.

Art In A Residential Setting / March 1, 2014 by Lisa Goesling

What better way to get a sense of how dramatic my art is than to see it in a residential setting. The clean designs grouped together create an exciting statement and you can't help but to come in for a closer look.

New Series / January 4, 2014 by Lisa Goesling

I am beginning a new series called Veggies, the first of which is the top of a Beet. I am pretty excited about mixing Colored Inks with the Black scratchboard. The backgrounds will all be covered in Black Enamel Paint creating the texture and depth of soil.

My Art / November 26, 2013 by Lisa Goesling

Every artist tells a story. I rarely provide a synopsis about my creations. I count on the visual senses of the the people viewing my art to be activated and inspired. Ultimately it is their words that best describe my art.

-Lisa Goesling

Orchid Evolution Stage 2 / July 12, 2013 by Lisa Goesling

Orchid On Steroids

Slowly but surely, this 30"x60" scratchboard is evolving. I am just as surprised as you are watching the detailed lines create living, breathing forms.

I've been drawing these all of my life. / November 28, 2012 by Lisa Goesling

Interaction

These little people just come out of me. They are on every notepad around our house. I am sure that past teachers have found them on the corner of a desk, no paper has caused me to take desperate measures! I've created three so far, but the final installation will contain nine 19" x 25" framed pieces of art. The base is made up of nine 5"x7" black clayboards tiled together with people moving from board to board. Floating a couple of inches above is a piece of plexiglass. I drew characters all over the plexi with a Dremel Engraver. No two are the same and the effect is quite fun!