Inspiration

Helter Shelter Leaves Within by Lisa Goesling

Weigela by Monet

You might not notice the leaves hidden deep in the background, but they are there. I posted a photo of the Weigela Plant on Instagram, along with other favorites in our yard and wrote…Is it possible to write a thank you note to nature? My favorite response was from my friend Britton who wrote, you just did! There is a name for that feeling we get when our heart rate slows down and we are transported by nature… Eco-Psychology. It’s the study of emotional connections between humans and the natural world. That sense of wonder, harmony and timelessness when surrounded by beauty. This new piece is part of my Helter Shelter series, created during our Shelter in Place. I really love to develop movement by drawing with an X-ACTO knife into hard boards layered in India ink and clay, (Scratchbord® by Ampersand). The white is the bottom layer of clay; the more pressure that I put on my knife, the brighter the white. Values are created by varying how much pressure I put on my knife. My last step was to add acrylic paint to the dark leaf shape pattern in the background. 8”x8” framed: 9.5”x9.5”

Moving On

Moving On by Lisa Goesling

Detail of Moving On by Lisa Goesling

Mary Ellen and I had met during a previous exhibition at Water Street Studios. She admired my art and we talked about my path and her new adventure serving people with medical challenges and incorporating art into their curriculum. I offered to help out when her dream comes to fruition. 

Mary Ellen and her husband attended my current exhibition with Photographer, Dave Wensel, Inspired Response. They came up to me to say that they wanted to purchase, Moving On. I was really touched, this piece incorporates so many passages from my life and now it is going to be a part of theirs.

I know my fellow artists can attest to this fact, there is something so special about seeing your art go to someone you genuinely admire. 

Thank you Water Street Studios for making it possible for us to meet. 

2018 Evanston + Vicinity Biennial

Across The Board (Part 1) by Lisa Goesling

I am so pleased to be a part of the 24th Evanston Evanston + Vicinity Biennial juried by Sergio Gomez, Curator and Director of Exhibitions at Zhou B Art Center, Chicago, Aron Packer, Owner and Director of Aron Packer Projects, Chicago and Therese Quinn, Associate Professor of Art History & Director of Museum and Exhibition Studies at the University of Illinois, Chicago. 

It is one of the Midwest's largest juried exhibitions, drawing gallerists, curators, collectors and art lovers alike. 

The opening reception if on Friday, August 31st from 6:00 - 8:00 pm and the exhibition runs from August 31st to September 30, 2018. 

UPCOMING EXHIBITION: INSPIRED RESPONSE

Moving On by Lisa Goesling. Part of Inspired Response.

Across The Board by Lisa Goesling. Part of Inspired Response. 

The Nature of Design - Movement. 1 of 1 Digitally Colored Print and Original Art. by Lisa Goesling. Part of Inspired Response. 

Spontaneous Combustion 38 by Lisa Goesling. Part of Inspired Response. 

Across The Board

Across The Board by Lisa Goesling

Detail of Across The Board by Lisa Goesling

Across The Board has been been running around inside of my head for some time...I finally made it happen. One of the key aspects about my art is the amount of movement I can develop through line. I began this piece by deciding that it would be a total of eight feet wide. (This is the first of two sections, the other one is still in the works.)

My goal is to create an intimate conversation with the viewer so I try not to work too large. I designed this hanging 'sculpture' to glide in and out from the wall. It reaches 21" high by 96" wide, allowing the viewer to take their time as they engage with each individual piece. The content is filled with images from nature along with abstract shapes. Each panel was created by drawing with an X-ACTO knife into boards made of India Ink and clay. The magic happens when I drag my knife through the layers, slowly but surely patterns begin to emerge. Values are achieved by varying the pressure with my tool, and textures by painting with acrylic artist color. I hope that you see something new in Across The Board every time you view it. 

Thank you Bruce Starrenburg Photography, www.bstarrenburg.com, for doing a beautiful job of capturing my art. And thank you, Gemini Builds It, www.geminibuildsit.com, for your constant attention to building the structure that supports Across The Board. 

SOLD

Detail of Larger Than Life Orchid

I had decided not to sell this piece because I was rather in love with it. But gallery owner Cynthia Burr of Vivid Art Gallery in Winnetka, IL said that a collector had been thinking about Larger Than Life Orchid for over a year and would love to purchase it. 

It is now hanging in the perfect spot in their home. 

Larger Than Life Orchid by Lisa Goesling

IS SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION REAL?

Is Spontaneous Combustion Real? by Lisa Goesling

Artist and friend, James Deeb, came up with a brilliant solution to the frustration a lot of us are feeling about the present state of our nation. He answered the question, how can artists spread kindness amongst the chaos? James organized an exhibition that gives artists a platform to make a difference through their art. I donated Is Spontaneous Combustion Real? to the upcoming 'Unpresidented' Art Auction in Chicago on Friday, October 27th, 2017. 100% of the proceeds go to Heartland Alliance. They make a huge difference in the lives of refugees and the LGBTQ community.

Just a little background about Is Spontaneous Combustion Real? I created my own rendition of a 'Wall' on the bottom of this piece. On the left side there are rain drops running into a raging flood depicted in the undulating shapes of the half dried up leaf. The tree like structure on the top left side represents the roots of hate that have taken hold, as a snake like shape winds it's way through everything. Knowing that we always need to find a balance, I incorporated elements of beauty throughout. 

Spontaneous Combustion #38

Spontaneous Combustion #38 by Lisa Goesling

After eating grapes, I looked at the vine and thought, the movement of a bare branch is absolutely stunning. So I started to draw the shape of the vine and used the negative space as a jumping off place for the textures and patterns. My new series, Spontaneous Combustion,   incorporates both my love of nature and my love of design. The details force the viewer to come in close. Leaves and flowers abound mixed with all sorts of patterns that intertwine inviting you to keep searching for more surprises. 

Detail of Spontaneous Combustion #8 by Lisa Goesling

Captivating Art: LISA GOESLING-written by Renee LaVerne Rose

Finished Draft by Lisa Goesling

 http://emagazine.acs-mag.com/acs-magazine-septemb…/…/228-229

For those of you who haven't heard of Renee LaVerne Rose, it won't be long before she becomes a household word. Renee is a powerful supporter of artists worldwide, Director of ACS Gallery, Chicago, and Founder, Publisher, and Editor-In-Chief at ACS Magazine. Her ability to understand what drives an artist comes from her passion for creating her own art. Renee's generous spirit is what led her to interviewing me for ACS Magazine's September/October issue. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks, Renee!

MOVING ON by Lisa Goesling

Upcoming Artist Talk/Workshop at Zhou B Art Center

When I first began working with Scratchboards I used to concentrate primarily on images from nature. Lately abstract imagery has become my focus. Moving On is a combination of my fascination with natures' intricate designs and my love of repeating patterns to develop complex structures. Drawing with an X-ACTO knife into boards made of clay and ink enables me to create stark contrast and movement. I am doing a demonstration/workshop today, Wednesday, July 6th at Zhou B Art Center in Chicago, from 6:30-7:00 pm. I don't plan my art so I'll be just as surprised as you watching this piece evolve before our eyes.

(Some of my inspiration: wasp nest, bottom left and leaf eaten away by insects, top right.) 

14"x35" 

UPCOMING SOLO EXHIBITION

The End of the Story

Orchid Bud by Lisa Goesling

This single Orchid Bud, no larger than a dime, really intrigued me. There was nothing particularly grand about it when viewed through the naked eye, but once I placed my magnifying glass between my eye and this bud, something truly unexpected occurred. An undulating structure, more brain-like than flower appeared, filled with an array of colors that weren't there a minute ago.

After hours of capturing the twisted layers that formed this tiny bud, I finally had it framed and put on display. 

Normally that would have been the end of it. But not in this case, in this case I knew that there was more to the story. 

Back to the drawing board, I introduced the evolution of an orchid, contrasting the buds tight shapes with the suggestion of a fully realized flower. 

Multiple Lilies

Multiple Lilies by Lisa Goesling

My goal is to tell nature’s stories. Fine lines form these delicate buds giving us no indication of what surprises await. Then suddenly we are greeted with a burst of energy of brightly colored petals, some upon closer inspection are filled with every color in the rainbow. These powerful images soon evolve into shriveled up silhouettes complete with their own mysteries. They twist and turn creating a beautiful ending to their compelling story. 

Art In A Residential Setting

What better way to get a sense of how dramatic my art is than to see it in a residential setting. The clean designs grouped together create an exciting statement and you can't help but to come in for a closer look.

New Series

I am beginning a new series called Veggies, the first of which is the top of a Beet. I am pretty excited about mixing Colored Inks with the Black scratchboard. The backgrounds will all be covered in Black Enamel Paint creating the texture and depth of soil. 

Top of Beet by Lisa Goesling

Inside of an Iris

I found so much detail looking deep into this Iris flower, developing a strong sense of movement through the shapes and textures as they wrapped around themselves. The multiple layers ultimately formed an interesting abstract. A background of Black Enamel paint, applied with an irregular pattern, serves as a stark contrast with the fine lines of the flower. This piece was used for the cover of the book, Transatlantic, by New York Times Bestseller, Colum McCann. 

Inside of an Iris by Lisa Goesling-Copyright