Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Goren
Hi Lisa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a witness. Ever since I was a teenager, I knew that I wanted to travel to the Polar Regions. Twenty-seven years ago, I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream by going to Antarctica. At the time, I was still working full-time in Boston in the music business and put all of my vacation together so that I could travel so far away. My girlfriends knew I wanted to paint the landscape (especially the ice) and bought me a small watercolor kit. And so, an artist was born….
Since that trip, I have travelled to Iceland (multiple times), Alaska, and the High Arctic (near the North Pole). All Polar and frozen landscapes are dominated by an absence that is in stark contrast to the lush landscapes of the rest of the planet. Without the “noise” of animals, people, and plants, the landscape reveals itself as an abstraction of shapes and colors. Every watercolor I paint is an exploration of the absence and the clarity created in these frozen worlds.
As a watercolorist, I work with the transitory nature of water. Of course, ice melts, but some of my subjects include ice that is thousands of years old. In all of my paintings the background noise of global warming is present, making even superstructures vulnerable. The balance of fragility and strength of frozen worlds mirrors the balance between water and ice.
Like everyone else during the Pandemic, I was unable to travel. During the lockdown, we started to see images of animals taking over the places that humans had abandoned. Known as the “Anthropause,” animals moved quickly into “our” worlds. These photos from around the world captivated me and I created a new series of paintings which are drawn from the animals’ resilience, as they comfortably reestablished themselves in “our” spaces.
In January of this year I completed a two-week residency in Iceland at the Gullkistan Center for Creativity which was tremendous and inspiring.
In October, I look forward to a 2-week residency the La Porte Peinte in Noyers, France. I intend to move more towards the abstract, linking vibrant colors to viral images of migrants, fires, and other world events that have impacted all of us.
“In Hot Pursuit of the Cold and Ice” – my full-page article about my residency in the High Arctic, was published in the New York Times (http://nyti.ms/1PAO5mr). My Google talk is available on YouTube (http://bit.ly/lisagorengoogle).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Having painted and shown my work for 20+ years, you’d think that I was pretty confident that I knew my audience, chose to enter shows that highlighted my strengths, etc. But these past few years have thrown a wrench in my understanding. I have a background in retail and business so I know how hard presenting and selling works can be.
Last year, I really struggled to figure out where I belonged within the art world. I decided to try and do every show that made even a little bit of sense for my work. I did Open Studios, Outdoor Art Fairs, PopUp Art Events, indoor Art Fairs, and more. A significant part of the summer was spent doing outdoor events and I learned about how to do many shows in the wind and rain. Even so, sales continued to confound me – rainy days might be the best day of a weekend or there would be no sales during the rain. It’s hard to learn (and keep your spirits up) from such conflicting and unexplained circumstances.
Still, I do feel that the work I put in last year has really led me to some conclusions about where I should focus my efforts and where I should not participate. I’m still working through this with two more shows this year that should help me understand how best to show my work.
But it took a lot of commitment and tough days to get here.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a watercolorist. This is an exciting time to be painting in watercolors because people are really pushing the boundaries of what this medium can be. I love painting very large or on different surfaces or using methods that allow me to keep the painting from needing to be behind glass.
Having focused on ice from the beginning, painting water using water enables me to connect to my subject that keep the ice transparent and luminous.
The first thing people ask me about is Antarctica – I’ve even been asked if I was the first woman to go to Antarctica! (No, I am not.) I think I am known for my travels to the coldest parts of the planet and the images I bring back. These images can seem abstract to those who haven’t seen these worlds and I love creating paintings that are “abstract” yet based entirely on reality.
It’s a small specialty but the people who paint these parts of the world often know each other and I love the community of the Polar artists.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My most recent series has been based on my trip to the Ice Caves in Iceland last year. What an experience! I had always wanted to go and I was rewarded beyond my wildest imaginings. I am painting these pieces on clay which gives the works an excitement because the viewer can be closer to the work (because it is not framed behind glass). Watercolors are incredibly vibrant but that can be missed if they are too precious, delicate, or framed poorly. I use a LOT of paint and the subject allows me to go wild with the color and paint. These new pieces are so much fun!
Pricing:
- My pieces range from $150-$5000 for the very large pieces.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lisagorenpaintings.com/
- Instagram: @lisafgoren
- Facebook: Watercolors by Lisa Goren
Image Credits
All images by Lisa Goren/all photos by Lisa Goren