LISA LAUER

My goal as a painter is to elicit a certain precarious sensory state in the viewer. I like to think of it as the feeling you might have when you're dreaming: You’re moving through a scene that feels familiar, but there’s an undercurrent you can’t quite put your finger on. Something feels hidden, imminent, transformative: Will a set of headlights suddenly appear on the horizon? Is that storm coming or going? Are the tulips on the verge of implosion? Is that watchful old bull about to kick down the paddock door? 

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I'm also interested in the challenge of transforming a flat surface into a topography the viewer wants to explore. I typically start with a board surface and add layers of oil ground to give the painting a textured base. After an initial underpainting and sketch, I build up the basic forms using a mix of oil paint and cold wax. As each layer dries, I use various tools to scrape and rub the surface, exposing the lower layers  to develop unexpected textures and transitions. 

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​​I'm primarily a self-taught painter. After earning a degree in art history with a minor in studio art from Swarthmore College, I thought I'd be pursuing a career in art restoration but ended up in the tech industry instead. Still, there was always a singular goal in the back of my mind: to eventually find a home where land meets sea and just . . . paint. And finally, here we are.