Every Saturday I focus on a different artist that I admire. From potters to painters, chefs to collectors, seamstress to songwriters, lifestyle to lovers... anyone who set the paintbrush, pastry brush, hands and heart on fire to create.
Those who inspire art to flow where it may.
My friend Lisa is a painter. I met her and her friend Marsha, when I was in California this year.
Her artwork is that of genius, I love how she uses the color white as the background in her paintings.
Another thing I admire about her is her passion as she talks about her art, Lisa said, "The Icelandic poppies are one of my favorite flowers - The mnay colors they come in are like confetti - a celebration in the garden as they move gently in the wind. I like seeing and painting them at all stages of bloom."
When painting the root vegetables above Lisa added, "It is such an inspiration for me to go to the Napa Valley Farmer's Market to choose flowers, fruit and vegetables to take back to my studio to draw and paint. This started off as a turnip and quickly became a beet! A poet friend said the image made him think of the energy of a fish jumping out of water.
A turnip that became a beet that turned into a fish jumping out of water.
Imagination is the ink, the paint, the color, the feel, the key to an artistic life.
An artist has a way of noticing the hidden detail, a glimpse of the soul, and if they are fortunate to see it, feel it, it can pass through them into their work.
Lisa is a fortunate one.
Lisa added, “I developed a serious interest in art as a child and feel that my earliest creative influences came from extensive family travel at a young age. This included three years of living in Japan.”
After graduating from the California College of Art, Lisa worked as a graphic designer for 23 years. Then, after designing some of California’s most iconic wine labels, she decided to become a fulltime, professional painter, which she has been for the last 10 years.
Lisa’s watercolor images have been exhibited at the I. Wolk Gallery, in Napa Valley, at the William Zimmer Gallery in Mendocino, in the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, and at the Napa Valley Museum, Yountville.
Lisa said, "My endless fascination with drawing and painting produces a sense of elation in me. I can physically feel the lines and almost taste the colors as if they are pieces of candy I am savoring."
Source: lisalivoniart.com via Corey on Pinterest
Lisa added, "I am inspired by light and its reflections on an object or space. The warmth and the translucence of light and the mystery it creates in the shadows can have a dramatic effect. Energy is created and things come to life. I try to respond to those effects with paintings that are immediate and spontaneous."
Lisa continued, "Drawing is an important part of my painting. To draw something, to really see it, gives you an intimate and personal knowledge. I feel an object through my lines and have a love for the quality and personality I can give them. The strength and the sensitivity of my drawing add another layer of emotion to my work."
Finding ones passion is finding ones path. Happiness certainly lies there...
Within each of us waiting to bloom.
Lisa has passion for painting color, light and texture, thought firmly believes the "white space" allows the viewer to use their own imagination.
Contact for more information:
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Lisa Livoni
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Exquisite. I love the way the color flows over the paper, the shapes emerging and mixing to create beautiful images.
Posted by: annie | 05 May 2012 at 09:03 AM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Laura @ 52 FLEA | 05 May 2012 at 01:21 PM
These are just wonderful!
Posted by: Monica | 05 May 2012 at 01:49 PM
LOVE Lisa's work! Especially the daffodils and iris.
Posted by: Sheala | 05 May 2012 at 02:18 PM
They are very artistic works, full of spirits.
Wonderful...
Posted by: Lee | 05 May 2012 at 02:36 PM
I'm blown away! As a watercolor artist myself, seeing her work in it's beautiful freshness and genius of simplicity is an inspiration!
Posted by: lila | 05 May 2012 at 03:31 PM
Happy cinco de mayo! You find the best and I encourage the rest ... You are a dream lady and when I come to France next I want to see you to see if you are real cause you are so amazing that I'm wondering sometimes if your pretend.
Posted by: Beatnheart | 05 May 2012 at 04:33 PM
That artwork is really really inspiring. I love her style!
Posted by: Jill Flory | 05 May 2012 at 04:33 PM
Are those irises in the next-to-last painting the ones that grow mainly in the Redwoods region of coastal Northern California? My maternal grandmother had a huge clump of them that she nurtured (would mulch them with spent coffee grounds, presumably to acidify the soil). They don't grow in other parts of the country, I'm told.
Posted by: Kathie B | 05 May 2012 at 06:05 PM
Did you just add that painting of the hollyhocks? My grandmother grew those too (le sigh).
Posted by: Kathie B | 05 May 2012 at 08:58 PM
Totally love Lisa's work! Thanks so much for sharing it. Love your Saturday Art Saves!!
Posted by: Christine | 05 May 2012 at 10:25 PM
The texture that Lisa brings to a flat surface with a brush and a touch of paint is amazing. I loved the vegetables and the one with the hat.
Posted by: Jenna | 06 May 2012 at 12:18 AM
Truly WONDERFUL work!!!
very fresh and great marks and color
thanks Corey for sharing!!
Posted by: parisbreakfast | 06 May 2012 at 06:59 AM
Such gorgeous images, I am smitten! Thank you, Corey, for introducing us to Lisa's work!
Posted by: Merisi in Vienna | 06 May 2012 at 10:33 AM
Corey,
Thank you for sharing the fabulous artist, her work is just amazing and I loved the interview!
Posted by: Sandy | 06 May 2012 at 01:25 PM
Beautiful, love the insight of the soul! Her work is truly magical~ I love flowers and these are visual poetry~ Thank you for sharing; her art is lovely~
Posted by: Ellen | 06 May 2012 at 09:17 PM