I submitted five paintings to the open show at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts. The show has a long history, as this was the 55th one! This year there were more than 1200 artworks entered. I’m very proud to be awarded a blue ribbon for “Living on Hope.”
For the past week I’ve been staying in a little cottage in Waldport all by myself, enjoying silence and creative time and walking on the beach twice a day. It’s been heavenly!
I bought a folding table to set up as my workspace in the dining room and spread out my supplies. It was great to have the whole day–the whole week!–to alternate working on paintings with taking breaks outside. The past few days it was so warm that I took my book about Henry Miller’s watercolors onto the deck and soaked up some sun.
I’m heading home refreshed and restored and with a stack of new work and many, many photos for future inspiration.
Riis Griffen, Let It Be, mixed media on 20×20″ canvas.
This is a painting I finished in March. It’s now hanging at the Grand Opening exhibit at Tappen Studios in SE Portland along with several other paintings of mine and work by four other artists. The show is up until the end of July.
Are you following my Instagram? I post there several days a week with my latest paintings and photography, as well as works in progress and studio shots. I’m really starting to enjoy that format so I hope you’ll follow me there!
This is the fourth year I’ve been involved in the Big 500 show and it’s always a great show with a huge variety of work and a ton of enthusiastic art fans.
Because I’m working in a makeshift studio after the tree incident and I’m in the process of getting my real studio rebuilt, I decided to paint five pieces this year instead of my usual ten.
People’s Art has closed but Chris Haberman and Jason Brown, the show organizers, found a new location at the Ford Gallery (2505 SE 11th, Portland). Can’t wait to see all the art in this new space.
The reception will be on Saturday, December 10 from 2 pm to 7 pm. Another change this year is that the show will only run until December 23, so be sure to stop by!
Choke. Mixed media outsider art painting by Lisa Griffen. On 12×12″ paper.
I finished this painting today, posted it on my Instagram account, and it sold within hours. Made my day!
What a fun, energetic reception! The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale show opened tonight at the Portland’5 Center for the Arts, where it will be on view until the end of May. I’m honored to be included in this show, especially now that I’ve seen the other art. So many fascinating and beautiful interpretations of these stories, including some of the lesser-known tales. It’s worth a look so if you’re in the area, stop in and check it out!
“Rumpelstiltskin,” by Lisa Griffen. Mixed media outsider art painting on 20×16″ canvas. Currently available at Portland’5 Center for the Arts.
Lisa Griffen, Humphrey, mixed media on 8×8″ wood.
This is one of my paintings that sold at the Big 500 show at People’s Art in Portland. The show ran from mid-December to mid-January and eight of my ten paintings sold. I heard from several artist friends who had similar results, so it seems like it was a very successful show this year!
I became aware of the work of New Zealander Andrew Blythe through the Outsider Art Facebook page. After looking through an album of his art, which uses pattern and a limited palette, I clicked on the Youtube video of him talking about his work.
He said, “I try to beautify my beasts.” That floored me. You know when you read or hear the perfect phrase and think, “I wish I’d thought of that”? With that line, Andrew Blythe nailed something I’ve been trying to say about my art for the past few years.
Wishbone. Original mixed media outsider art painting on 16×20″ canvas. $200.
I’ve had a bad cold since returning from vacation, but made it out of bed this morning to hang my solo show at the Cedar Hills New Seasons cafe with lots of help from my sweet husband. Wishbone and 12 other animal-themed paintings will be there until the end of September.