We recently connected with Lisa Barthelson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lisa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Nearly fifteen years ago, I had a revelation. As our three children approached adulthood, the sheer volume of ‘stuff’ accumulated during their upbringing became shockingly apparent. Growing up, I hadn’t experienced such excess, yet we had unwittingly embraced the consumer-driven ethos of contemporary American life, and found ourselves engulfed in its resulting detritus. This realization stirred feelings of shame, a recognition of the personal wastefulness involved, and its impact beyond our small world. Being an artist constantly exploring and acquiring various art materials, I resolved to redirect my focus toward utilizing our existing possessions as my primary art making materials. This commitment gave rise to the “family debris series.” My aim was clear: to grant a second life to a significant portion of our consumer waste, particularly the pervasive plastic that dominated our belongings. Refusing to consign it to a landfill or incinerator, I was motivated by the awareness that only a minute fraction of plastic is actually recycled. Plastic, produced with fossil fuels, is enduring and archival to a fault, and stands as a lasting pollutant.
What began as a personal quest to repurpose our discarded items evolved into a realization that my efforts addressed a pressing global concern. Through printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, and installations, I sought to not only repurpose our family’s debris but also contribute in a modest but hopefully impactful way to raising awareness about the perils of consumerism—one of the principal contributors to climate change. The “family debris series” serves as a family archive and visual narrative, capturing the viewer’s attention, making connections and encouraging contemplation of the viewers’ role as consumers and inhabitants of a planet. Through ‘the family debris series’ I strive to create meaningful and sustainable art, by reusing and reimagining the remnants of our family consumption.

Lisa, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was raised in an artistic family and was making art from a young age. My parents were artists and at six, they sent me outdoors to the picnic table armed with oil paint, turpentine, and a canvas board, for my first adventure in oil painting I have two sisters and we grew up surrounded by art materials, artmaking was an integrated part of daily life. While I always assumed a professional art career lay ahead, the financial reality struck when college loomed, and family funds were unavailable. To fund my education, I worked as a server and bartender, supplementing these earnings with loans destined to be repaid post-graduation.
Having no illusions about the challenges associated with repaying art degree related loans, I pragmatically opted to change my major. Pursuing a more ‘professional’ path, I earned an undergraduate degree in Environmental Design, followed by a Master’s in Landscape Architecture.  Post-graduation, I apprenticed, and after passing the required exams, became a Registered Landscape Architect in Massachusetts. Landscape Architecture was a design profession and I had the opportunity to see and experience the design work in space, in nature and at human scale. My work was designed for outdoor interaction and activities, so art making was not abandoned but expanded to create forms and spaces that function for people; to be experienced, immersed in, and moved through.   (Remove this) My work was designed for outdoor interaction and activities, so art making was not abandoned but expanded to create forms and spaces for function for people. Over the years, marriage and the arrival of three children led to a relocation to an area with limited Landscape Architectural opportunities. I transitioned into the role of Director at a struggling nonprofit arts organization. Drawing from my project management skills, I worked to help revive the organization. Yet, as I worked with practicing artists, my growing desire to focus on creating art eventually overshadowed my interest in a leadership role in an arts organization. The passing of my artistically gifted mother, who had anticipated having many years to make art, post retirement, was a sad and vital wake up call that time was of the essence.
Recognizing the urgency, almost two decades ago, I decided to prioritize my need to make art, and this decision brought me full circle, my favorite geometric form…from making art as a child, and throughout my life in ways large and small to making art the center of my world again. Do what you love.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My objective is to establish an eco-conscious art practice by utilizing existing possessions and the byproducts of mindful daily living as my primary art making materials. Through the creative acts of reusing and repurposing, my mission is to draw attention to the consequences of consumerism and our individual environmental impact. Collaboratively and globally, we can address the challenges posed by climate change through our deliberate and considered actions, both large and small. The ‘family debris series’ specifically tackles my personal struggle with excess while shedding light on the global repercussions of our choices. I revere nature, recognizing its vital role in my physical, emotional and mental health and well-being. It’s this connection that is at risk for all of us, unless collective efforts are made to change our course. My ongoing goal is to produce engaging, humorous, and thought-provoking artwork using my family’s detritus, encouraging viewers to consider their potential for reduction, reconsideration, repurposing, while embodying the mantra: “waste not, want not.”

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Creativity is a balm and building block for a rich evolved life. Making art and creating provides an ever changing perspective on the world we live in: what we see, hear, feel, perceive and think. Nature stands as the unparalleled creator. Daily walking and being outside is my time for contemplation and planning. When I look at my family’s debris: the items that have become obsolete, used up, worn out, accumulated and collected, I’m energized by ‘the making’ and transformation of art. I listen to those objects. Their form, color, texture, history and meaning guide me. Creating something new that has significance to me and to others is the exhilarating challenge. Art is always gestating within me, and it often surprises me when it rushes out to be built and born. Making art is an adventure, and there’s never enough time in the day to realize all that percolates within. It’s the joy of play, energy, and world building on a personal scale. When my art speaks to others and they respond to what they see and feel, it’s validating, enlightening and inspirational. Life in art is full, what an amazing way to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lisabarthelson.com
• Instagram: @lisa_barthelson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.barthelson/

Image Credits
all images: Lisa Barthelson