Featured Artist Lisa Loudin

Artist Lisa Loudin presents a collection of pen and ink drawings with hidden details and meaning. See more of her work on her website.

 

 

I draw trees that tell stories. Most of my models are the giants I meet on my path. The drawings are Gestalt in nature. They’re comprised of an amalgamation of inspired words, ideas and illustrations drawn with .20 mm pens.

 

 

I believe that words create our realities, and we always need words of love, encouragement, and hope. From a distance it’s a drawing of a palm tree or juniper. Up close another world exists. Each glance of the drawing has the potential of revealing something new.

 

 

I am inspired by trees, stories, the beauty of words, and the human spirit. The content in my drawings have not been pre-planned but often seem to flow from the pen onto the paper in the moment.

 

 

I especially enjoy when the characters emerge on their own accord. It’s like cloud formations. You can see a bee or an elephant to begin. Sometimes what flows from the pen seems to come from someplace beyond me. Like clouds that move across the sky, the images in the drawings morph into something else.

 

 

I find the more authentic, honest, and generous I am in my work, the more appreciation my work elicits. That surprised me.

 

 

Growing up I often felt on the outside. Didn’t everyone? I held back for fear of rejection. I grew up fast when I fell in love with someone much older than myself in high school. A relationship no one condoned led to a lot of conflict with my family. That relationship was the most important thing to me at the time. It gave me many gifts and taught me about life, but it also left me with a lot of self-doubt. It took a long time for me to find my voice. Looking back, I think it was destined and I’m grateful for it. I believe every experience gives our lives meaning and informs us of who we are.

 

 

My newest endeavors involve my version of family trees which I’ve done on a commission basis. These drawings do not illustrate family lineage or dates. I interview my subjects to learn about them and then provide my interpretation of their story. The drawings are then a stamp in time of their lives together now. They are a legacy in themselves.

 

 

I’ve been asked if I would ever consider color. I have a whole forest that needs to come to fruition before I can move onto a new medium. Next are a series of twelve oak trees on a large scale. They’re inspired by one of my favorite teachers. I’m excited to see what unfolds next!

 

Lisa Loudin invites you to become a follower on Instagram.

 

 

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