Mother Nature

Top: Art of a Catkin from a Pussy Willow and a Fingerprint. Bottom: Lacy Leaf and Dragonfly by Lisa Goesling

Have you ever noticed how much nature's patterns repeat themselves? I first became truly aware when I was drawing a dragonfly. Not long before, I had completed a black and white scratchboard of a leaf eaten away by bugs. I named it Lacy Leaf because the patterns were so delicate and intricate, just like a fine piece of lace. 

When I began to study the dragonfly, it too had a detailed pattern, much like the leaf. I was stunned by how the same seemingly random shapes fit together to form a majestic dragonfly. 

Just the other day a friend came across one of my scratchboards of Pussy Willows. Her immediate response was, "they look like fingerprints!"

By this point, I was well aware of designs repeating themselves in birds, insects, plants and flowers. What I hadn't considered was that we share similar patterns with the rest of nature. All I had to do was to take a closer look. 

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.

Artist to Artist Pussy Willow

Artist to Artist Pussy Willow 

I demonstrated my Scratchbord technique on the show Artist to Artist back in November. Concentrating on the details, I drew a small portion of a Pussy willow. I finally had the opportunity to complete the piece and as host Enid Silverman said, "you sure can create a lot of drama with this medium!". http://vimeo.com/65342171

Artist to Artist Pussy Willow by Lisa Goesling-Copyright

Work in Progress

J/A Magnolias

This 24" x 36" piece has been quite a challenge! By trial and error I have learned that these clayboards cannot be too large. Once they get larger than say 18"x18, there is a chance that they may bow or crack. I have one that is 24"x36" that has a few cracks throughout it, after all, it is made of clay. So in order to work in a larger scale, I group several smaller boards together. They come out looking like tiles and I can mount them together to create one cohesive piece. The contrast between the stark background and the creamy white lines is really striking as is evidenced in this Magnolia tree. I am constantly amazed at the shapes of these elegant flowers and how the varied branches overlap each other. Just showed the art buyers who commissioned this piece my progress and they are thrilled!

J/A Magnolias by Lisa Goesling-Copyright

Detail of Dried Artichoke

1 0f 8 by Lisa Goesling                     Copyright

My friend Len Upin knows me so well! He saved this dried up artichoke for me from his garden knowing full well that I would fall in love with the details! I am in the process of making eight pieces that fit together to form the whole artichoke. Can't wait for you to take a closer look at the finished piece!

Willow Branches with Color

Willow Branches with Color by Lisa Goesling            Copyright                                                              

I am continually amazed by nature. How silky white 'catkins'  and rough gray/brown branches inhabit the same tree. Textures, colors, and shapes...what a perfect subject to draw!

Layers of an Iris

Copyright:  Small Evolution of An Iris by Lisa Goesling                                                       

My folks were art lovers and built a stunning collection. I remember being quite young and being shown a small painting they had recently purchased. It was no larger than 8"x10" done by a Dutch artist in the 1700's, I believe. The art was filled with layers of details, so much so that they had me look at it through a magnifying glass. It opened up a whole new world for me, I could see so much more than appeared with the naked eye. I believe that that little painting influenced the way I approach my work today. I begin with a magnifying glass, studying all of the shapes, textures, and details. Small Evolution of An Iris, captures the multiple layers and movement of the leaves and flowers outside my door. Art doesn't have to be huge to be powerful!

Perspective

Sunflower by Lisa Goesling                                        Copyright

Choosing to create a different perspective adds interest. If you were to place a sunflower in a vase, you might normally view it face on. Viewing the sunflower from the side and including the 'hairs' on the stem along with the twisting leaves, gives importance to elements that people might not normally notice.