1) Who is Lisa Madigan?
Beauty seeker, aesthetic hunter, salt shaker, art maker.
2) Explain your current body of work?
I recently spent a month in New York & this new collection is absolutely a reflection of that experience. As with all of my work KALEIDOSCOPE treads the lines & explores the nuances between being grounded in earthly grits & depth & strength & a lighter, softer, more ethereal air.
Spurred by particular fractures of light, dirty streets, punchy graffiti & vibrant colours melding with stormy spring skies & that skyscraper grey. The works embark on an almost documentarian journey of my collected moments, memories & sensations, one slipping into another, slipping into another, slipping into another. Not bound by form, but threaded with a common, underlying narrative.
Substance & sensation. Light & dark. Elusive & punchy. Delicate & powerful. Frivolous & meaningful. Raw & polished. Beautiful.
3) If you can pick one artist as an inspiration, who would it be and why?
Turner. He makes my heart soar, he surprises me, beguiles me & touches me with his luminosity, vision & sheer brilliance.
4) With your own art/art practice, where would you like to be in 10 years?
Deep & fervent in my practice as a known professional.
Pushing my own boundaries & immersed in the limitless adventures of creation & expression & connection.
5) How are you finding the current art market?
My focus is on cultivating my practice & creating the best possible works I can. I believe if you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing with authenticity, tenacity, complete dedication & grace, things eventually will fall into place. If the work shines, it shines, regardless of what the market says, or what state the market is in. There has been an incredible buzz around the release of this new collection & I’m humbled & delighted with the response. I like to take it piece by piece & person by person. Not everyone will swoon for your work, but those who do, you hope it’s a somewhat transformative experience & you also hope there’s longevity to it. It can be a slow burn, things ebb & flow, but the more I move through my career, the more I own where I am, the more I connect, it’s a privilege.
6) Name four things, that you cannot do without in your studio?
It’s a very raw & beautiful place for me & I’m more than happy with my bare essentials of fresh linen, an ample supply of paint, my knives & even just a single brush. My pieces move around a lot when I work, from the floor to the wall, so I need to have the space quite clear for a bit of room to manoeuvre, I also like it quite clear for my head space, it’s only ever what I’m currently working on that I like to be seeing when I’m in there. The studio itself certainly needs to be sitting just so, there’s a definite art of placement & harmony & light in my organised mess.
7) Is social media a help or a hinder for the arts and what are you thoughts?
I absolutely believe in embracing new technologies for communication & there is such a vibrant, appreciative & diverse community to connect with in the social media stratosphere. It is such a wonderful opportunity to be able to connect in a beautifully immediate way with your audience, give them glimpses into the process & greater insights into the work. Love it.
I’ve found social media invaluable & have made some truly amazing, genuine connections.
It makes the world a smaller place, we are all connected & at the same time it makes the world a broader place & showcases our great diversity. Nothing can ever beat standing face to face with a work, ever, but I believe social media is allowing people a greater freedom of choice for which works they’d like to stand in front of & the freedom to find the Art that truly connects with them.
8) What was the funniest thing you’ve heard someone say about your own work?
“When I saw your portraiture, I have to admit, I put you in a different category.” I think there are plenty who aren’t compelled to admire works that aren’t immediately obvious & who can only appreciate it once they know you can “actually paint”. Not so sure that’s funny though.
9) What is next on the agenda?
There’s always plenty ripping at my chest eager to get out & there are some very exciting things on the horizon. I always say it’s a little like opening Pandora’s box, but stay tuned.
10) What is your advise to children who want to be artists?
I would say for them to take a moment, a good long moment & be very, very quiet & listen to their inner voice to find out what it says. If their heart is calling them as an artist & if that voice never waivers, even through the dark days, then they need to express that & no matter what comes, they need to be true to who they are. If you are an artist, you don’t have a choice in the matter, so follow that road with courage, tenacity & grace. I had teachers try to make me change the way I held my pencil, to sit down instead of stand when I painted in class, one threw out an entire series of my paintings because I didn’t paint the way she wanted me to. In that way I’ve grown to become somewhat of a gentle rebel, if anything it strengthened my resolve rather than dismissed it.
No one can tell you the direction of your work but yourself, trust that process, trust your self.
11) Where can we find more about Lisa Madigan?
WWW.LISAMADIGAN.COM.AU
https://twitter.com/LISA_MADIGAN
https://www.facebook.com/pages/LISA-MADIGAN/298833550173
http://instagram.com/LISAMADIGAN#
Sydney Art Galleries and Art Community 