Group of Columbines by Lisa Goesling Copyright
These Columbines have an incredible amount of movement, taking turns layering over each other. Working within a square format makes it challenging in terms of composition. I needed to edit just how many flowers would fill the space. Adding a touch of color to the finished piece creates energy without becoming too overpowering.
Full Orchid by Lisa Goesling Copyright
Orchids date back 15 to 20 million years. I'd have to live that long to capture every one of the approximately 25,000 varieties! I never grow tired of the minute details and seemingly endless shapes, colors, and designs.
Puss Willows by Lisa Goesling Copyright
You should be seeing these furry buds, (they are actually not flowers but future leaves) emerging at this time of year. The simplicity of these trees with their long straight stems and plump little buds are so much fun to draw!
Thistle Large. by Lisa Goesling Copyright
Thistles are made up of fine hairs that balloon out, giving the appearance of soft down. Etching lines in this medium enables me to make strokes that appear to fly off of the page. One of my artistic goals is to engage the viewer into exploring what occurs on a microscopic level.
Copyright: Pink Flowers by Lisa Goesling
I love when people tell me that my art makes them feel good. It's been likened to receiving a gift of beautiful flowers. I bring a combination of realism and contemporary sensitivities to everything I create. One of my goals is to make my art look as if it is coming off of the page. Layering each petal and leaf makes the viewer sense the actual dimensions that occur in nature
Copyright: Side Sunflower by Lisa Goesling
Choosing to create a different perspective adds interest. If you were to place a sunflower in a vase, you might normally view it face on. Viewing the sunflower from the side and including the 'hairs' on the stem along with the twisting leaves, gives importance to elements that people might not normally notice.
Wispy Weeds by Lisa Goesling Copyright
The textures of these weeds appealed to me. I spent a long time looking at them through a magnifying glass. They were incredibly delicate and looked happy to be paid attention to. The way the stalks curled around each other added a lot of movement. Concentrating on the source of light made some areas pop while others faded into the background. I love the contrast between the rough texture of the stalks compared to the airy feeling of the flower. That is something nature did, I just tried to replicate it!
Broccoli/Peppers/Garlic by Lisa Goesling Copyright
Vegetables are so much fun to draw! It is a little tricky getting my etching tool to work with a variety shapes, especially because there is no going back once I etch out a line, but I love the results. By creating lights and darks, (it depends on how much pressure I put on the tool) I can form a clove of garlic, the inside of a pepper and the tiny flowers that evolve into broccoli.
Grapevines by Lisa Goesling Copyright
Sharing a porch swing with my family at the Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Door County is one of our favorite ways to escape. We begin by strolling through the gallery and enjoying their wide range of art, everything from paintings and sculpture, (don't miss their outdoor sculpture garden) to smaller items like fine jewelry. When we have experienced an art sensory overload, and perhaps purchased something, we make our way out to their shaded patio to relax and pet their dogs. This image appeared before me as I stretched back on the swing, looked up and saw this beautiful grapevine. I pulled out my camera and began shooting, capturing the way the light hit the leaves as they twisted around the plump little grapes.
Sunflower by Lisa Goesling Copyright
Choosing to create a different perspective adds interest. If you were to place a sunflower in a vase, you might normally view it face on. Viewing the sunflower from the side and including the 'hairs' on the stem along with the twisting leaves, gives importance to elements that people might not normally notice.
Copyright: Lacy Leaf by Lisa Goesling
As my friend Viv and I strolled through the arboretum last fall I couldn't figure out where to look. There were trees covered in deep, rich colors everywhere, birds and animals scurrying about. And then I looked down. Laying right by my foot was this glorious leaf, eaten away by time and parasites who took what they could and left the rest for me. This was nature at its finest, delicate, yet still in tact, beautiful lines and shapes and textures. I couldn't get home fast enough to begin to study and create what you see before you.
Copyright: Orange Yellow Flowers by Lisa Goesling
Spring is just around the corner and just like you, I cannot wait! I love how the black background makes these flowers pop right off of the page
Copyright: Queen Ann's Lace by Lisa Goesling
Before you know it there will be hundreds of these cropping up everywhere. Forget that they are common and just appreciate their presence. They reach out with tiny flowers that seem to say, hope I made your day! Capturing them on the page enables me to enjoy them all year round! Hope I made your day!
Ah, a blank screen, always a challenge! I am attempting to bring my art to the world and hope that you enjoy what you see!
I began working with this medium a few years ago when I was going through treatment for breast cancer. It was the perfect way to escape to a better place, someplace beautiful, where I could get lost in the details. I continue to use these boards made out of clay and covered in black ink as my medium of choice, enjoying the delicate lines that emerge when I etch away at the black background. In both of these examples, I added colored inks at the very end of the process.
Would love to hear your feedback, thanks!
Lisa
copyright: Dahlias by Lisa Goesling
