Featured Artist Lisa Brown

Artist Lisa Brown uses torn paper collage to create joyful art that celebrates life and new beginnings. See more of her portfolio by visiting her website.

 

 

I am a nature lover and have found that spring rejuvenates me like no other season. I began “Gardens of Hope” after 9/11 as a person who worked in New York City for 15 years, and was thrown with many into a silence and state of fear like no other.

 

 

Once the spring came that next year, I felt we would get through the lost hope, and so I began these gardens as my ode to new beginnings. The first image I painted was “Bright Beginnings” and I felt it said words I could not express.  

 

 

I start these pieces with a vibrant watercolor splash of colors not knowing where that will take me. I then find where the flowers can grow and start to overlap flowers that I create by twisting and folding painted textured papers. As I work, the garden grows and I don’t know where it will end. I get so involved in the process of creating that I lose track of time. Suddenly I look and realize the painting is done.

 

 

For me, children’s laughter is the most wonderful sound there is. Towards this end, I started to create my impressions of “Children at Play”.  Sharing moments like these with children gives us a reminder of the joy we had so we may once again feel that sense of wonder and play.

 

 

The third series I created came from my teaching adults. I found that often those who were not happy with their drawing capabilities could cut, tear, fold, and twist painted papers to find an expression that satisfied them and made them confident.

 

 

For these “Texturescapes” we add paint, textured paper painted, and beads to recreate the scene we want to represent. It gives us a freedom when we are not held down to one medium.

 

 

I also have been continually creating with watercolors because they are my favorite and I can take them with me wherever I go. I often will start with a simple watercolor and then decide to remake the scene with mixed media. This allows me to really delve into the subject matter.

 

Lisa Brown invites you to follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

 

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