Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lisa Loudin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lisa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
My artistic path began at a young age. When given pen and paper, I would entertain myself for hours drawing.
I have a degree in art with a focus in illustration. However, after graduating I didn’t believe I had what it took to be financially successful as an artist.
I decided to go the secure route and took a job took in an industry that gave me purpose and lots of good experiences.. I always intended to pursue art more seriously once I hit that magic moment. It just took longer than I expected because there is no “magic moment.”
One day I wrote the word thankful on a card. The impact of seeing that card days later surprised me. It
gave me a lift when I was feeling down. Words hold energy and they do have the power to impact our emotions.
I got out my pens and became transfixed with drawing again.. It felt like I had returned to my roots of drawing which was always my first love.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Currently my media is pen and ink. I draw trees that I meet along my pathway. The drawings are comprised of an amalgamation of words and tiny illustrations that make up the whole.
From a distance they’re representational drawings of trees. It’s upon closer inspection that there is more there than what initially meets the eye.
Words are energetic and have the power to make us feel. l use the positive words that uplift me. The whole raison d’être is to feel good. Like that first little card that simply had the word thankful on it, it had power to make me feel better when I was having a frustrating moment.
I was surprised that something so simple could have that kind of power. If one word can do that, what can an entire tree made up of words and little creatures do? Within the drawings, I believe we see what we need in the moment. There is so much contained within them. Viewers are likely to see something new every time they view the work.
Aside from creating them, I love when someone comes in and discovers the surprises within them. Their delight gives me immense pleasure.
I love having a studio at the Perez Art District located on Perez Street in Cathedral City, California.
We, all the artists, host an art walk on the fourth Friday of every month September through May from 4pm to 7pm. There are about 35 artists in the district and fourth Friday has become a celebration.
Visitors can take a peek at my latest finished work and what I’m currently working on. I have a small gallery space in the front of the studio that I’m able to display some finished pieces and in the back room is my work space with work in progress..
New people are constantly discovering the studio so I get to meet people from all over the country and world. A few years ago I met a judge from the Court of Justice of the European Union.
It is comparable to the Supreme Court of the United States. Now one of my pieces hangs in an office there.
Im branching out, too, beyond the Coachella Valley. Currently one of my pieces entitled “Ageless” was installed in a show entitled “Versatility of Pulp” at the Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, CA. Additionally, one of my etchings is part of the museums permanent collections as part of a series produced by Bernard Hoyes.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
In these times, we need to support the arts in any way we can. Schools are doing away with art programs.
Places like the Desert Art Center of Palm Springs provides middle school art classes at no cost to the students and a valley wide high school art show with monetary prizes going directly to the art departments.
Support your local arts organizations. Come see the shows.. Take your children to art museums and galleries. It gives them a foundation to appreciate art.
Always be encouraging to young people in their artistic pursuits.
Lend your talents and funds to arts organizations. I just finished a five year term on the board of the Desert Art Center.
It’s important to get involved and connected in your local arts community.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the alignment I feel within myself.
For years I believed that being a professional artist was for lucky other people. I was living a charmed life, but there was always this unrest and disharmony niggling at me because I felt in that one aspect I wasn’t being true to myself.
The moment I declared myself an artist, providence moved, too. Now I have my own studio, I’m involved in the Coachella Valley Arts Community and truly in alignment with what I’ve always wanted.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.lisaloudinink.com
- Instagram: @lisaloudin
- Facebook: Lisaloudinartist
