I just realized that I haven’t thought of a name for this piece yet. It is about halfway done, so I guess I have time. This 40”x20” piece is drawn with an X-ACTO knife into layers of clay and India ink. Colored inks and paint are added in at the end of the process. That background black texture that is supposed to resemble soil is created by dabbing black acrylic paint between the etched lines. The collectors have a large outdoor space, 7.5 acres, where a myriad of elements from nature compete for your attention, it is stunning! I am like a kid in a candy store being bombarded by every color, pattern, shape and texture you can imagine, not to mention all of the scents! Since I don’t sketch first, I am continuously amazed at how things begin to evolve on the page. More to come!
contemporary art
Inspiration /
Helter Shelter Leaves Within by Lisa Goesling
Weigela by Monet
You might not notice the leaves hidden deep in the background, but they are there. I posted a photo of the Weigela Plant on Instagram, along with other favorites in our yard and wrote…Is it possible to write a thank you note to nature? My favorite response was from my friend Britton who wrote, you just did! There is a name for that feeling we get when our heart rate slows down and we are transported by nature… Eco-Psychology. It’s the study of emotional connections between humans and the natural world. That sense of wonder, harmony and timelessness when surrounded by beauty. This new piece is part of my Helter Shelter series, created during our Shelter in Place. I really love to develop movement by drawing with an X-ACTO knife into hard boards layered in India ink and clay, (Scratchbord® by Ampersand). The white is the bottom layer of clay; the more pressure that I put on my knife, the brighter the white. Values are created by varying how much pressure I put on my knife. My last step was to add acrylic paint to the dark leaf shape pattern in the background. 8”x8” framed: 9.5”x9.5”
Moving On /
Moving On by Lisa Goesling
Detail of Moving On by Lisa Goesling
Mary Ellen and I had met during a previous exhibition at Water Street Studios. She admired my art and we talked about my path and her new adventure serving people with medical challenges and incorporating art into their curriculum. I offered to help out when her dream comes to fruition.
Mary Ellen and her husband attended my current exhibition with Photographer, Dave Wensel, Inspired Response. They came up to me to say that they wanted to purchase, Moving On. I was really touched, this piece incorporates so many passages from my life and now it is going to be a part of theirs.
I know my fellow artists can attest to this fact, there is something so special about seeing your art go to someone you genuinely admire.
Thank you Water Street Studios for making it possible for us to meet.
Completed Commissions /
Keys Trees by Lisa Goesling
Keys Trees, above, is a compilation of different trees that I came across during my artist residency with The Studios of Key West. There was so much to take in, like Sea Whips in the ocean swaying back and forth in the waves, (they appear in the background black on black) and so many others, all filled with textures and patterns that practically begged me to draw them!
Detail of Keys Trees by Lisa Goesling
I am constantly fascinated by leaves eaten away by insects and time. They evolve from solid shapes into lace like forms, so delicate to the touch that they require special handling while bringing them to life on the page. This piece, Almost There, captures the passage of what was into what is. Completing the bottom leaf meant that the base of the art has weight allowing the top leaves to float above. The textured surface of the background adds contrast to the smooth ink and fine lines.
Detail of Almost There by Lisa Goesling
Vivid Art Gallery Featured Artist, Friday February 3rd /
www.vividartgallery.net
UPCOMING SOLO EXHIBITION /
Out With A Bang /
'Out With a Bang' captures the spontaneity of my line making as I simply face a black board and begin to draw. The patterns covering the background have a pulsating rhythm that pushes the larger white images right off of the surface. Everything was drawn with an X-ACTO knife into a hard board covered in a layer of clay and India ink, (Ampersand Scratchboard). The very last step was to paint with colored inks over the detailed abstract designs.
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.
This One Counts as Three /
Lily Bulb with Leaf by Lisa Goesling
I am not quite there with this but since it equals three of the smaller pieces going towards my large installation, I feel pretty good about the progress. It is likely going to be all black and white except for the leaf's color. By coming in close to one single bud, both beauty and power emanate from the lily's graceful form.
Mother Nature /
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 /
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.
Swept Away /
Swept Away
I spend a whole lot of time distracted, not exactly watching where I am going. That's because I am always focused on finding the next great subject matter to create from. This branch with it's spotted, crumpled, leaves was waiting for me one day outside of my door. It isn't fall yet, but it didn't seem to know that.
Swept Away by Lisa Goesling-Copyright
Snapdragon /
Snapdragon
I am captivated by the delicate shapes and bold colors of these spring flowers. Did you know why they are called snapdragons? It's because they resemble the face of a dragon opening and closing their 'mouths' when squeezed!
Snapdragon by Lisa Goesling-Copyright
Inside of an Iris /
I found so much detail looking deep into this Iris flower, developing a strong sense of movement through the shapes and textures as they wrapped around themselves. The multiple layers ultimately formed an interesting abstract. A background of Black Enamel paint, applied with an irregular pattern, serves as a stark contrast with the fine lines of the flower. This piece was used for the cover of the book, Transatlantic, by New York Times Bestseller, Colum McCann.
Inside of an Iris by Lisa Goesling-Copyright
The Nature of Design-Movement-Color /
Colored - The Nature of Design - Movement
While going through the exploration process of how to add color to this piece, I knew that I wanted to make it appear ethereal. I love how the colors and textures evolved into a completely different entity from their original form.
The Nature of Design-Movement-Color-Copyright
Full Artichoke x 6 /
Full Artichoke
I have been studying this prehistoric dried Artichoke for several months, finally creating six 8"x8"panels into a multi faceted work of art. You can see that it was no easy task to fit six panels together, nor getting them to appear together after being scanned. Luckily Gemini Moulding did a fabulous job of mounting and framing them into a perfectly cohesive work of art. Thank you Gemini, for being equally as concerned about paying attention to the details as I am!
Full Artichoke by Lisa Goesling-Copyright
Work in Progress /
J/A Magnolias
This 24" x 36" piece has been quite a challenge! By trial and error I have learned that these clayboards cannot be too large. Once they get larger than say 18"x18, there is a chance that they may bow or crack. I have one that is 24"x36" that has a few cracks throughout it, after all, it is made of clay. So in order to work in a larger scale, I group several smaller boards together. They come out looking like tiles and I can mount them together to create one cohesive piece. The contrast between the stark background and the creamy white lines is really striking as is evidenced in this Magnolia tree. I am constantly amazed at the shapes of these elegant flowers and how the varied branches overlap each other. Just showed the art buyers who commissioned this piece my progress and they are thrilled!
J/A Magnolias by Lisa Goesling-Copyright
Detail of Dried Artichoke /
1 0f 8 by Lisa Goesling Copyright
My friend Len Upin knows me so well! He saved this dried up artichoke for me from his garden knowing full well that I would fall in love with the details! I am in the process of making eight pieces that fit together to form the whole artichoke. Can't wait for you to take a closer look at the finished piece!
Shadow Box /
In the Shadows by Lisa Goesling Copyright
I love this time of year, nature is so stark, just like my art. Movement and mood were established in this piece by varying line weight and the point of view of each element. I began by flipping over an old frame, staining the wood to achieve a warm glow and then 'etching' out puss willows. Tension was created by contrasting the quiet tone of the background with the bold Black Claybords. By layering the art and using a jig saw to cut around the edge of the Thistle, I achieved my goal of creating dimension through flat materials. Sculpting a 3D Puss Willow out of volcanic ash to match the white layer of clay in the Claybords added the finishing touch to this composition.
