Lisa Goesling Wins Three Awards by Renee Phillips, Manhattan Arts International
Lisa Goesling (www.lisagoesling.com) is an artist living in the area of Chicago, IL. She attended NIU and the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. Goesling recently entered Manhattan Arts International's Celebrate The Healing Power of ART" juried competition. The jurors selected her art work amongst only 56 winning finalists from the several hundred images received from artists of every continent.
Since its inception, Manhattan Arts International has always attracted the best artists from around the world. Its online gallery and membership program operates according to a strict application process. In this competition, Lisa Goesling's work was not only chosen for an Award of Excellence from Manhattan Arts International, she also received an invitation to join the Manhattan Arts International Membership program.
In addition, Goesling also won the Jill Connor Critic's Choice Award and the Ampersand Art Materials Award, (http://ampersand.com/index.html). A spokesperson from Ampersand Art states: "Lisa Goesling's work is powerful and passionate; her impeccable design sense and technique in scratch art is unique for this medium. Ampersand Art is proud to support Lisa Goesling's scratch work by giving her the Ampersand Award in this years exhibition. Below: "The Nature of Design-Pattern" by Lisa Goesling. Black Scratchboard, 21" x 5" All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without the Artist's permission.
About Her Creative Process
Goesling states, "I find the textures, shapes, patterns and repetition of nature incredibly inspiring. My medium of choice begins with a layer of Kaolin Clay, which is used to make porcelain. Once the clay is adhered to the boards, it is covered in a layer of India ink. By varying the pressure in the ink with my simple tool, (it looks like a quill pen) I can elicit a phenomenal amount of detail in the layer of clay."
In an interview she conducted with the Chicago Artists' Coalition as one of six artists awarded Studio/Gallery space for two years at the Merchandise Mart of Chicago, she told Pepper Coate: "I begin every piece subconsciously thinking about the fundamentals of design. I look at an object, generally something from nature, and examine its shape and form, determine if the lines, contrast and textures are conducive to my present medium, Scratchboards by Ampersand. I like to create from the actual subject. However, I always photograph it from different perspectives so that I have good reference material should the actual flower die before I have completed my art."
Creating art of this magnitude requires patience and technical prowess, both attributes Goesling has in tremendous supply. She states, "Getting up close to my subject and paying attention to microscopic details is critical to my process. Dimension is created by layering elements as they appear in nature."
Viewing her art in person offers an amazing experience. "The real magic occurs" explains Goesling, "when the viewer stands back to see the whole image and then comes in for a closer look. While my artwork appears simple at first glance, upon closer inspection, it is filled with such depth and intense detail that it evolves into something compelling and mysterious."
About Her Healing Process
Lisa Goesling has been painting and drawing for over forty years. She began working with Scratchboards in 2006. She explains. "That's when I learned I had cancer. Choosing something beautiful to become absorbed in and concentrating on the details, proved to be the perfect way to deal with my cancer diagnosis. The idea that adversity teaches us to turn the negative into a positive is a great analogy for transforming these black boards into thriving works of art."
Advice for Artists
For artists who may be intimidated by Scratchboard, she offers this advice, "It does take a certain amount of artistic courage to approach a medium like this, given the fact that I don't sketch or erase, I just study the subject and jump right in! It is impossible to miss the spontaneity that defines my art. Unlike drawing on paper or painting on canvas, Scratchboards force me to think backwards from dark to light."
To view more of Lisa Goesling's incredible art work, visit her website at www.lisagoesling.com
You can view Lisa Goesling's winning art in the exhibition "Celebrate the Healing Power of ART" http://manhattanartsinternational.com/Gallery/Healing-Power-of-ART/Winners.html
Learn more about Ampersand Art, http://ampersandart.com/scratchbord/html