Lisa Congdon
"My Nikon goes everywhere with me. I look at everything as a potential photo and I study line, color, shape and theme."
By Lonnie K
Published: July 20th, 2007 | 8:14am
San Francisco artist Lisa Congdon is flying high on momentum from her burgeoning art career. Growing up in an artistic household, she was surrounded by creativity from a young age. However, it wasn't until her mid-thirties when she went through a life-altering event and a subsequent depression that she realized her very spirit was dependent upon making art.
She started her blog, Bird in the Hand, where she showcased her photography, inspirations, and art. She designed a prototype of a stuffed fabric bird and called it the "mod-bird." Friends and family eagerly requested them for themselves, and she began production of the birds in earnest. She soon started to sell them online along with her other creations, and the orders came flooding in, marking the beginning of her recognition in the indie art and craft scene. 39-year-old Congdon's work has since been shown in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Reno, and Canada.
Mostly a self-taught artist, Congdon works in a variety of media including paper, pen and ink, paint, and textiles. Three-dimensional shadow boxes and paper collage are two recent areas of focus, as are bold paintings on found pieces of wood and pages from vintage books, and bright, pieced pillows made from old and new material. "I have an enormous collection of vintage and new fabrics," she explains. "I also collect vintage children's books, vintage school photos, and vintage buttons. I like to use everything I collect in my work."
She likens her color combinations to the colors of confections — lots of muted pastels with bursts of red and black. Themes from the natural world and geometry (circles, patterns, grids) prevail in her work.
Ever fervently looking for her next artistic challenge, she carries her camera with her always and photographs inspiring images from her daily life. "My Nikon goes everywhere with me. I look at everything as a potential photo, and I study line, color, shape, and theme."
Her vibrant Mission District neighborhood is one of her greatest inspirations. It is flavored with Latin culture, abundant murals, galleries, and alternative fashion. "I love my neighborhood," she oozes with enthusiasm. "It is a constant source of visual stimulation. Anything goes — I can be who I want to be here." Testimonial to her love for her city are the many photos she has posted on her Flickr page, which capture vignettes of San Francisco street life.
Stemming from her obsession with color illustrations in vintage anatomy books, Congdon created the Anatomie collection, shown at Rare Device in New York in April of 2007. She combined vintage anatomy book illustrations and text with ink and paint, fashioning dramatic collages. Each piece focused on a part or system of the human body and was given a French name such as "Le Coeur," and "Le Cerebral." Science and art came together in these works which were concurrently technical and whimsical. An extremely successful show, half of the collection was sold before the opening party. "It was one of the coolest experiences of my life," Congdon says.
The Lovely, Dark, and Deep collection, a collaboration with her sister, artist Stephanie Barnes, was shown at Doe in San Francisco in the summer of 2007. Another mixed media collection, it was inspired by the sisters' mutual love for the woods and the dark mysteries that linger there. Earthy and bright colors meld together with images of flora, fauna, mushrooms, and wood.
A happy day for Congdon is one spent in her art studio. "I'm consumed with making art right now. Sometimes I think I'm obsessed — I'm constantly looking in magazines, art books, and to other artists for creative energy. I've made it my business to surround myself with creative people." But she adds that balance is very important to her. She does not want to live up to the "suffering artist" image, or become too engrossed in her own world. "I absolutely believe in karma. I try to put out goodness." Judging from her recent success, the karma certainly seems to be working for her.
You can see more of Lisa Congdon at her Web site, lisacongdon.com.
Issue #35
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