My newest exciting venture is my new space, the Artery, Denver.  Come check out my blog at  the Aftery  for a list of all of the workshops we are going to offer starting this summer.   I am still updating the class schedule for August and I am working on the website - but it will all be ready soon!

goodbye space

What a hard month.  I had been dreading having to move out and say goodbye to our space on Walnut.  10 years of great memories there.  Mia and Ryans 1st birthday parties were held here.  I think Mia's 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th birtdhays were held here (Ryans too)  So much artwork was made here, so many great studio parties, visits from friends/etc.   January 31st was our last day there.  We wandered around the empty space, took some photos and then just when we were ready to leave the girls wrote a goodbye in chalk. Just when I didn't think I would cry - of course I did.

exciting things for 2012

A lease has been signed.  Paint has been purchased... there will be elbow grease used.  After almost 10 years John is moving studio spaces. That means I am too.  I just follow him around you know. At the new space I will have my own little section and I am excited to share with you all that I am going to be teaching some workshops there. We will be moving in and ready to start in early 2012 with all of our new and exciting projects.   Stay tuned.

the ARTSY one

The artsy one is always asked to help when there is a creative project to do.  

This year our pool was hosting the big end of the season A league swim meet.  They were wanting to paint the beam outside of the club house and they also needed t-shirts made.  I am not the only creative around here.  I am surrounded by so many with great skills and talents, so it was a privileged to take on this challenge.

Kathryn, Nancy and Alice helped design the artwork and then Kathryn and I painted. 

 here is the t-shirt design for the Metro League - A league meet.

Boulder, CO

If you are in Boulder, CO you can see my work. No, I don't have a solo show with super contemporary, cutting edge work.  I have about a dozen prints and a few originals for sale in the gift shop thru September.  

SUPER great art, SUPER great gift shop.  Both worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood.

1750 13th Street, Boulder, CO 80302

The bird got out of the basement...

I can't say when, by who or why - but this bird was chosen for greatness. It is going to print soon, so stay tuned.

Inspired Art - Denver

John and I both donated work to Inspired Art this year.  The artist get to pick a poem and create a piece that related to the poem.  This is the one that I did.  It's the first piece of artwork I have finished since last summer.  It was nice to have a reason to get the ink back out and get my hands dirty.   The artwork will be auctioned of (via silent auction) at the Space Gallery off of SanteFe.  The proceeds benefit two local non-profits that promote creative expression and youth development in Denver's urban communities.  March 10th.

When I’m homeless
I’m sad.
There’s no one on my side.
No one to play with.
No one to talk with.
No one to play video games.
There’s nothing to do.

     Miguel S., Age 9
     Cowell Elementary

embroidery class } @ fancytiger

Since so much of my work last year was inspired by mexican embroidery - I am working backwards and learning to do some actual stitches.  I took a class last week and am excited to see what i can do with my new skills.  I went and bought some supplies but haven't had time to practice yet.

getting ready to stitch

sorted, tossed, rearranged and scrubbed.

It was time to get downstairs and claim my space.  My studio and my desk were dumping grounds since November so it was a big job to rearrange and clear out the room.  I took a day to sort everything and get it where it belonged.  It was about six hour project - but so worth it!

AFTER

being resourceful

I have been able to fill a few orders this holiday season.  I had a group of prints that were mailed together, but as soon as I had a friend go to the post office for me I had 2 more orders to fill.  Still a month after my surgery I can't drive.  I scrounged thru my house looking for all the random stamps that I could find and then I put them in my mailbox with a letter to the postman to please tell me if he thought I needed more postage.  He came to the door and said that I was covered and gave me a little chuckle.

a good mish mash collage (as long as they got there)

Here are the real stitches

On September 1st I was told that I had to have surgery.  I posted two year ago that I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation but was going to try to beat the odds and go as long a I could go without needing corrective surgery.  (Chiari is a condition where your brain rests on your spinal cord and constricts the flow of spinal fluid.)  Because the spinal fluid is restricted it does not allow for the signals to be sent correctly thru your body.  I suffered from a lot of numbness (from my face, to my hands and legs)   Also chronic neck pain, head rushes and headaches.   It kind of took me out of my art game.  I was told to take it easy and so I did.  I traded my (heavy) silkscreens and wood canvases for fabric and thread.    I took three class at Fancy Tiger and lived at the local fabric stores.

On November 16th I had decompression surgery.  It has been about 3 weeks post surgery and I am doing much better then expected.  I have some serious restrictions.  The main restriction is that I can't lift more then 10lbs., because of that I need a lot of help around the house and doing the things I take for granted, especially with my girls.  I was told to not even lift a gallon of milk.  No dishes, cooking, laundry (that part I really could do without)

After 2 weeks I went to the doctor to get my staples out and when I did they told me I could start getting out on a limited basis. I still don't get to drive because of the pain pills I am on and the limited movement I have in my neck.  All of this and the Holidays!  I suppose all more reason to be thankful this year.  I have an amazing support group of friends and family.  I have meals set up thru January, friends getting my girls to and from school, a friend who walks my dogs, one who brings me starbucks when I need one, and all of them are there for constant emotional support and well wishes.  I am such a lucky girl.

Now that the Holidays are upon us I will try to respond to emails as quickly as possible.  And be able to take order on a limited basis.  Currently my Etsy store is empty but I do have prints available from my website.

My scar & staples 10 days after surgery.

more fabric for me

One last class for the fall - quilted pillows at Fancy Tiger.  This one was the most challenging of the three classes for me.  I wasn't able to finish it during class time but I was determined to finish it before it sat on my sewing table for months and it ate at me.  I love it and hope that post surgery I am making many more.

new found hobby

SEWING! I finally took a class at Fancy Tiger on A Line skirts. 3-4 hours and you leave wearing your new skirt. it was so much fun. I took the class on Sept 4th in memory of my grandma (who died 8yrs ago/sept 4th) ANYWAY, i was hooked. I have a pretty major surgery planned and this sewing thing is great to take my mind off of that. i have been spending my time at fabric stores and in front of my machine. 3wks later I have made 4 windows worth of curtains, 8 skirts and reupoltered 4 kitchen chairs. i am on a roll! another reason why my blog has been neglected.

art at KISMET }

To help celebrate Kismets anniversary they thru themselves a party. and now - Kismet is carrying my artwork. August - thru the holidays. SO, if you are at the Shops @ Southglenn go check it out. It's a GREAT store!

i love ART CAMP }

This was one of my highlights of the summer. and it was just 4 short hours. This summer the pool took over our life. I would hope for a rainy day so we could get out the crafts and paint, but the only rain came on the weekends i had an arts festival. (go figure) So - in the last week of summer i got a few girls together to paint. I wanted to TEACH something and i used a painting of poppys for an example. I had traded some work for this painting this summer at the art market. darnit, i can't remember her name. I thought it was a good simple layout and a good example to follow. . I knew if they follow the example - each girl would be able to take home a really nice piece of artwork they could keep forever. We painted for about 4 hours and while some steps along the way were difficult to hold their attention (mainly for Ryan - the super creative one) I think everyone was proud of their finished piece. I really enjoyed my time with the girls. I LOVE doing this.

CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL -

My finale for the art making season - - - what i have been working towards since January - CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL is this weekend! If you are in Denver - please come out and say Hi, and see my new series! The festival runs SATURDAY & SUNDAY from 10-8PM and MONDAY from 10-6PM. I am in booth no. 130 which is by the soundstage off of Fillmore & 2nd street.

The Newest - here first

You are one of the select few who has seen the newest of the new artwork. Who knew - i sit there and say that i don't "draw" - and i don't draw my characters. I have used the birds to tell their stories. Really, truthfully - i do draw my people, but i don't show anyone... i have doodles and sketchbooks full, but it was only about 2 weeks ago i decided to do one on a piece of wood. Very suprisingly it was so much fun and it made for a few late nights because i just couldn't stop. SO, here you see it. a very new start to a very new series. Would love your feedback. This is all I have for the show this weekend (of new pieces)


Also - here is new work from John who will have new pieces in the show this weekend and the Art Students League.

limited edition. . . . .

From my desk to you. I wanted to take a photo of the NEW & EXCITING limited edition work I was thinking of breaking out just for the Summer Art Market in a week. But my giant orange kitty, Cheeto, with a crooked tail was blocking the goods. They are back there - can you see?

ohhh the mess.

I am usually pretty tidy. I like my things in a very specific place. I like the lids on the inks to match the ink in the jar and so on. BUT in total work mode - which includes some midnight oil, cokes, loud music, frozen cherries and popcorn and my orange kitty - - things start going downhill. Instead of my trash going in the trash can, it goes on the floor. The ink jars don't have lids - let alone the right colored lid, and so i know the deadline is near. When you put the squeege and pencil down and walk away. It is near. (briefly) and then i will have to regroup and finish up a few things for the Cherry Creek show on the 4th of July weekend.

postcards in the mail

i spent 2 days looking for all of my addresses and then sitting quietly addressing postcards. My lists are getting a bit outdated. Every physical address i have is from 2008 or later so i suppose it won't be too much longer before i am only sending out an email blast to get the word out. While the postcards are pricey - and the 28cent postage hurts a bit - i still enjoy the change of pace for a day or two.

new design

here we are - the basic design for 2010

The official show info }

Show schedule for the summer - it will be quick - it will be dirty - it will be local. Hoooraayy!

less then 2 weeks away
SUMMER ART MARKET 2010

less then a month away
CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL - 20 year anniversary show.

houses in a row

here is my series of houses. i like them row by row.

visually pleasing

from seeing the row by row sorted in stacks to layed out corner to corner on my dining room table these are doing it for me.
Thought i would share the newest of the new.

Artist Statement }

It is HARD to write an artist statement. Even harder when there is a deadline involved. No wait.... easier. Because if there wasn't a deadline, I wouldn't write one at all. I procrastinated this until the last moment and then sat down to think it thru and email it off to the people at Cherry Creek. Thought i would share it first - here.

artist statement * 2010

Lisa is an untraditional Printmaker. This newer series of work is done by using
a traditional printmaking technique, silkscreen. But, instead of making editions of prints,
all of the pieces made are one of a kind mono prints. Some pieces have elements of mixed media
as well as pencil drawing.

Lisas subjects are mainly birds and houses. The birds represent characters in her life. From the bird
that is hovering over a street map of Manhattan wondering if it is time to take flight, to the bird
who is surrounded by numbers and equations or engulfed by a ray of sun. The houses represent relationships
to family, friends and community. There are houses that stand alone, ones with deep roots and houses
that are surrounded by the neighborhood or city. Together the birds and houses speak of how different birds (characters)
and surrounding and relationships (houses) are every changing and have great effect on one another.

Lisas space is filled with stacks of work - always. It is the obsession to see the series grow in number and the unlimited
number of possibilities that fuel Lisa to create this work.

pretty birds in video

A photographer friend of mine came by a few weeks ago and shot some video of me starting my newest bird series. I thought I would share the link for all to see. pretty birds

productive week(s)

If i keep it up I will be at just shy of 200 new pieces completed. i have been working my days and nights for a few weeks or more and finally this small bird series is almost complete. Here is a photo of my happy desk.

and then there was color

Mixing ink takes me a solid week. I am not sure it if is because i enjoy it - so i take my time OR if it because i dread it so i procrastinate and don't finish quickly. BUT - i have color now and i have many "canvas" ready to do some MASS PRINTING! I think i have just under 200 pieces ready to complete. Better hurry, i am down to one month left of school for my girls and when summer starts finishing artwork is like swimming upstream.

first new piece of the season

completed: today. about 400 to go.

My art - LARGE

I did a project for Civic Center park about 2 years ago. It was a public annoncement type of job to tell residents that they were cleaning up the local, downtown park. This park needs funding because it is not funded by the state. When working on this with Cultivator i assumed the biggest these would be was mayb 3 feet by 5 feet lamp post banners to hang around downtown. I got an FB message from a friend who knows my work, asking if i was the one that did the signs downtown. It took me a few days to get down and see them. They are ENORMUS! probably 30 feet tall... maybe more. VERY COOL! Here are a few quick pictures. I will get better ones (i hope) before they take them down.

spring break 2010

i captured some beautiful images with my newest iPhone AP called Hipstomatic while we were on a road trip for Spring Break. I thought i would share my favorite 40. We went to Roswell, New Mexico to see some Aliens and then Carlsbad Caverns (just 15 miles from the border of Texas and 30 to Mexico) Great 90 degree weather, but very windy. 1250 miles in 4 days. It was glorious!

a small sliver of NEW

It's been slow going. I had a calendar of things to do and i am a solid month behind. Really- that is to be expected. You can't rush the process. Soon i will be in the zone and able to dive in and create some new pieces. Until then - here is a small sneak peak!

my honey = Rolling Stone

My husband, John has artwork on the backpage of Rolling Stone this week (just for another day or two) so HURRY OUT and check it out. He is the artist in charge of creating this wonderful ads used for New Belgium Brewery. (along with Cultivator Advertising) This week the RANGER ad is on the back page. CONGRATS HONEY!

some sweet words for your soul.... . . . . . .

the valentines "sale" starts today. I have uploaded some sweet talking birds for your sweet thing.
❤ ❤ ❤ From now until valentine's day - mention my blog with your order of a $12 (or more) print and choose another $12 print for free. my treat. ❤ ❤ ❤