Spotlight: Lisa Solomon, Mixed Media Artist

Mixed media artist Lisa Solomon likes to give every creative form its chance. If a medium helps her tell a story, that’s the one she uses. It might be textiles, watercolor, embroidery, or …… Color is a passion, and Lisa’s deep dive into the subject resulted in a watercolor workbook as well as a Tarot-like deck of creative prompts that artists working in any medium can use to jumpstart their studio time.

When and how did you first become interested in making art? Why do you continue to create? 

I have been making things for as long as I can remember – often with my mother or grandmother. For example, there was one winter my mom and I made I don’t know how many snowmen out of cotton balls.

In terms of art specifically, I got more “serious” about it right before college. But I didn’t really understand how to make it a “life” for quite some time.

I have always gone to museums, concerts and libraries since I was a child – often my whole family would go. The types of places and things that foster creative thinking really.  

I started calling myself an artist when i went to graduate school to get my MFA. Then it felt very “real”. I continue to create because it’s kind of the only way I know. Sometimes it does feel like just work, but I know that if I haven’t made anything or looked at something that someone else made in a long time I don’t feel right.

Making is like breathing for me. It just kind of happens in the background and is kind of essential really. 

Where do you find inspiration for your work? 

The better question is where DON’T I?

I can be inspired by almost anything really. The way light shifts, colors, emotions, beautiful (and even ugly) things. Whenever I don’t know what to draw, I turn to plants or my pets. 

Tell us about the range of techniques you use. How does working in mixed media best express what you want to communicate through your art? 

I’m kind of a “by any means necessary” artist. (Sorry, Malcolm X, for stealing your phrase.) I’m concept and research driven. So, the idea comes first and then I figure out how to execute it.

I have always been interested in textiles/fiber and “craft” materials, so I figure out ways to use them in “fine art”. Mostly, though, I use whatever I think will fulfill my idea the best. So that includes drawing, painting, rope, dyeing, embroidery, crochet, pins, etc., etc. Working in mixed media allows me to be “free” really. Also, it keeps me from being bored. I’m continually learning how materials work and what I can do with them. That part is kind of exciting. (I’m a tool junky, so give me any reason to buy a tool and I’m there). 

Are there predominant themes in your work? What is it about a subject that inspires you to continue exploring it? 

I think the line between art and craft – and whether there really is a line – is a huge theme. So is domesticity, being a woman and the nature of labor. Sometimes my work is full of mundane labor – which in a way mimics life. I also use art to explore myself and my identity. I am half Japanese and 1/2 Jewish Caucasian and am constantly thinking about and exploring what that means.

For example, for 8 years I researched the number 1000 in Japanese culture and what it meant (an attainable but “serious” number with many implications surrounding luck). Now I’m working on a show titled “but where are you FROM” because I’ve been asked that my whole life. People always wonder where I’m from, what my “nationality” and “ethnic heritage” are. So, I’m exploring that in my work through a series of self-portraits.

When you have an idea for a piece, what is your process that sees it through to completion? 

I usually keep a running list of potential ideas. Some ideas are one-offs – like it’s a piece and it’s done. Some are more of a body of work. Once I decide that I really want to follow an idea through, I research what I need. I consider material and context and collect things – images, tests, etc. Some pieces need tweaking in terms of hardware or application of materials, while others just flow. I tend to work on more than one thing in the studio at the same time so that things can dry – or just get looked at. 

What is the most important takeaway you want readers to gain from your books, especially your new titles, The Color Mediation Deck and A Field Guide to Color? 

The deck was really inspired by the response to the color meditations in Field Guide and the 30-day challenge I did with Creative Bug. That made me think about creating the deck. I felt like people really gravitated toward and wanted more prompts. I thought it would be fun to create a Tarot-like deck for art. It takes all the stress out of picking what to do. You get to just concentrate on making the painting. Sometimes we really need that you know? 

Field guide was my attempt to make color theory a bit more accessible. I never took any traditional color theory classes – none were offered where I went to school – but color was just so HUGE in my practice and life. I did tons of research and so much work with color it made sense to distill it into something accessible. Color theory can be kind of intimidating and stressful if you approach it in the most traditional way. We intuitively know a lot about color. Instead of it being scary or hard I wanted to make it more fun and a place for self-discovery. 

I think the biggest takeaway I want people to gain is to just create their own practice. Figure out how and what colors work for YOU. How to paint/make work in a way that is meaningful for YOU. To not be afraid of trying new things or doing things “wrong” but instead think of it all as learning/practice/helpful. The mistakes and “failures” teach you just as much, if not more, than the successes. To embrace an approach of experimentation and play whenever possible. 

Do you have a dedicated space for creating? If so, what does it look like? 

Yes. I have a 200+ square foot studio in my backyard that my grandmother helped me build. She died while I was pregnant with my child and before she got really sick, she took me out to lunch (a ritual of ours) and told me that she was leaving me some money. And that I could, of course, spend it how I wanted – on a trip, a car, just save it – but she thought that I should build a studio in our backyard. That because I was pregnant my whole world was going to change and that I shouldn’t give up my work and it would be so much easier to make work if I had a place at home. So, I did, and oh my God was she right. Every day when I walk into my studio, I say a silent thank you to her. 

My secret weapon is a tiny Tombow eraser. It’s like the width of a regular pencil point and is super helpful for getting into tiny spots to erase. I made an amazon list of the things I use/read. I like to encourage people to buy the things as locally as they can, but…. 

Do you use a sketchbook or journal? How does that help your work develop? 

I have multiple sketchbooks going at all times. Usually, a watercolor paper one for my calendar, lists and ideas along with one just for drawing or quick sketches. I also have some that have thicker paper for all around mixed media use. I like to have a few in all different sizes too, such as one that’s easy to carry around and a bigger one to work out bigger ideas. Keeping sketchbooks for me is KEY. I need them to process things, test out materials or colors, take notes on pieces and progress. They help me keep track of what’s working and what I need to change. 

What plays in the background while you work? Silence? Music, audiobooks, podcasts, movies? If so, what kind? 

All of those, although not audio books too much. They take too much attention. It depends on what I’m working on. If I’m crocheting or just applying a color to a surface, I can watch a movie. But if I need to concentrate, then it’s music or NPR or the news. If it’s kind of a half-and-half situation, when I don’t have to be in the work completely, I’ll listen to a podcast or watch a documentary. For those, I’m mostly listening but can look up if something is super interesting. I’m all over the place taste-wise. I like punk, jazz, women singers like Neko case – if I’m making things, the movie/show can’t be too sad or too dramatic. I love This American Life, Fresh Air and all kinds of podcasts. And I was recently on These Three Things and Windowsill Chats – two podcasts I also listen to. 

You mention The Subversive Stitch: Embroidery and the Making of the Feminine by Rozsika Parker as an important influence for you. What impact did it have on your work? 

It opened my eyes to the fact that small acts that seem mundane or expected can actually be subversive if approached in the right way. Learning that the personal is also political had a similar impact. This idea that women who were often extremely limited in terms of their expression could use embroidery as a means to make small statements or a moment of relief in their life was incredibly empowering. I like the idea that doing (or not doing) the dishes can be a political act if you choose it to be. 

How does your formal art education help your work develop? Does it ever get in the way? 

My formal education set me up to make my work. I wouldn’t be the same person without it. Not just my art classes, but my costume design classes, my astronomy class, my native American history, women’s studies, art history. They all influenced me. I always treasure seeing things from another point of view or just pure exposure to the unexpected. My education taught me how to come up with my own vernacular surrounding my work. It gave me permission to pursue this thing that so many in our society see only as a hobby or a side hustle. It showed me all the possibilities and taught me so many skills, from using a table saw to printmaking. In addition, I learned a lot about discipline and how that is probably one of the biggest aspects in art making. 

If you could live during a different artistic movement other than now, which one would you choose? Why? 

I don’t think I could choose. There are bonuses for all different eras for different reasons. For example, I would definitely want to be a fly on the wall in Agnes Martin’s, or Louise Bourgeois’, or Vermeer’s studios. The thing that is good about now is that it FINALLY feels like women and non-white men are getting a bit more attention than they used to. It doesn’t feel equitable… yet… but it’s better. 

Do you think that creativity comes naturally to people, or do you think creativity is a skill that people can learn?  

I actually think it’s both. I think it comes naturally and easily to some, but I also think it’s a skill you can hone and develop. 

How can people overcome the challenges they feel to their creative ability?

I have to say for me the biggest thing is discipline. You have to just SHOW UP. Be present. Be in your work. Give yourself permission to pursue it. Make time for it and make it a priority. The more you show up and try and frankly fail, the more you will learn and develop and figure out how to make the things you want to. 

Tell us about your website. What do you hope people will gain by visiting? 

Oh, I dunno. There’s a lot on there ;). And I just finally redid it this year. The goal is for people to learn a little bit more about me, the kinds of things I make, why I make them…. obviously, what my work and books look like. I think about the website as a “formal” space and Instagram as a behind-the-scenes space. 

Do you lecture or teach workshops? How can students/organizers get in touch with you to schedule an event? 

YES. I teach workshops and do events – not as much face to face as I did pre-pandemic. To be honest, I’ve gotten pretty good at doing them on Zoom now, too, and I see the value of doing them via the Internet. (Although there is magical stuff that happens when we’re all in a room together.) I try to keep my teaching page and the front page of my website updated with classes that are on the way or have just happened. If people want to get in touch, they can email me from my site or get in touch on Instagram about working together.

Interview posted October 2022