Finished watercolor painting of Jacob Marley

It’s hard to believe that a month has gone by since my last post. But given the hectic pace that was December, I’m not surprised that some things were woefully neglected along the way including my blog. Yes, I did do a lot of art and yes, I did manage to finish a dozen soul drawings and send them out to their intended recipients in a timely manner and yes, my kids are doing great.  But no, I did not get enough sleep and no, I did not make the time to indulge in other soulful pursuits like playing the piano, reading some new books that have been sitting by my nightstand, writing letters and e-mails to loved ones and friends or getting my house to be the enchanted fairy tale abode that I envision it to be. Thus, I knew 2011 would need to be planned and constructed from a more centered place in my being. It is possible to do it all, but only if I simplify and maintain a good balance between myriad priorities and interests. If I can’t plant a grand garden, I’ll nurture a smaller one, so to speak.

Antique Fairy Tale book cabinet

Here’s an example of what I’ve been doing to start appealing to this resolution. I spent New Year’s refurbishing an antique desk/cabinet that I’ve allowed to stand neglected for years. After the final polish, I filled it with some of my treasured, antique fairy tale books (my daughter added her modern touch here and there).

Kyra adding her fairy touch

But instead of stuffing every nook and cranny, I strived for a harmonious, aesthetic display that honored each volume as it should be. To me, this is symbolic of how I see my life and studio in the near future. Instead of jam-packing my day with sundry tasks, I hope to fill my day with balanced, modified efforts that render me feeling accomplished rather than depleted. My fairy tale cabinet is there to remind me to honor the moment and remember the nuances of the story along the way, rather than trying to process and digest all the chapters at once.

Here I am finishing the last painting of 2010.  Painting the encumbered Jacob Marley was an excellent way for me to purge end-of-year stresses. I now feel ready to take on the new year! I hope you are too.

Happy New Year friends!

~Lisa

final drawing- Jacob Marley from the Christmas Carol

When working, I usually have 3 to 4 drawings and paintings on boards at various stages. Some sit there for a month while others I tackle right away. It all depends on the mood I’m in and what I feel compelled to focus on. As I near the end of this project (about 10 paintings left), I’m working on those pieces that I’ve either:

1. Been hesitant to work on.

2. Am intimidated about working on.

3.  Had to wait for visual idea to come to complete fruition before working on.

For the most part, #3 would be the most apt description.

combining ideas from the first 2 sketches helped to solidify the final drawing

Some things just take time. In the case of Kobold and Jacob Marley, I felt conflicted about what to draw–what scene, scale, detail considerations etc..I left the sketches taped on my wall until inspiration whacked me over the head. That is often how it happens. This is one of the benefits of multitudinous painting. I feel if I am over-belaboring the sketch/drawing, then I need to step back for a while and let it happen when it’s ready. As an artist, I feel this is an effective way of transposing thoughts/ideas into something that feels right. The connection between heart, mind and soul must flow through the veins before I dare let the functions of the hand respond.

sketches to final drawing

Painting in progress (this one has been on the board a while)

Meanwhile, when not painting, writing and sundry studio tasks, I’m first and foremost a mom.

Last week, Kyra lost her first tooth! We heard the tooth fairy fluttering her wings outside as Kyra’s tooth slowly let go of those final tethers to babyhood. The tooth fairy left her $5 dollars.  This, of course, is a milestone along one’s life journey.

Kyra's new toothless smile!

~ Lisa

Cover image

My new eBook has arrived on the virtual shelves of Barnes & Noble–with Amazon, and Apple soon to follow. This book is a collection of never-before-published drawings  lovingly created for individuals from all over the world. The drawings are accompanied by thoughtful commentary and lend insight into my art process and studio life.

Here are some sample pages for you to browse. The book design was executed with aesthetic mastery by Kris Waldherr, owner of Art & Words Editions. The presentation is absolutely beautiful with its visually-appealing easy navigation. As reluctant as I initially was about eBooks, I now see the benefits of virtual publication: it’s easy to download, easy to store and helps to save a tree.  The artwork looks fabulous–None of the quality is compromised in translation. It’s like a virtual gallery of actual art. I’m delighted with the outcome of this project. I hope you will be too! Here are some sample pages for you to look at.

Synopsis

This beautiful offering is a must-have for fans of Lisa Hunt’s award-winning art. Includes fifty-five never-before-published drawings.

In this e-book original, best-selling tarot artist Lisa Hunt offers a fascinating and intimate look into her world—a world where myth, legend, fairy tale, fantasy, and imagination meet. Intertwining her skills as an accomplished draftsperson with her ability to manifest visions, Hunt taps the core of her creativity using heart and soul as her compass.

Each drawing is accompanied by Hunt’s candid commentary about her art process. Some of her personal stories are rich with intimate revelation while others explore symbolism, visual narrative, and the power of art to soothe the soul.

Biography

Lisa Hunt is an award-winning internationally known tarot artist and writer. She holds a M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Vermont College/ Union Institute with an emphasis on Jungian Psychology/Art & Drawing and has devoted the last twenty years to researching, writing and painting fairy tales, myths, legend and lore. Her many publications include Animals Divine Tarot, The Fairy Tale Tarot, and Celestial Goddesses.

Just a quick post to wish everyone a spooky holiday! Here’s some of the art I’ve been working on this year.

Kyra “TinkerBell” and Connor TKD warrior walking in the school costume parade

Be sure to visit the new Ghost & Spirits Tarot page!

~ Lisa

]]> http://lisahuntart.com/blog/2010/10/30/happy-all-hallows-evesamhain/feed/ 0 http://lisahuntart.com/blog/2010/10/03/mermaid-with-coral-creatures-what-do-you-think-of-when-you-hear-the-word-home/ http://lisahuntart.com/blog/2010/10/03/mermaid-with-coral-creatures-what-do-you-think-of-when-you-hear-the-word-home/#comments Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:17:00 +0000 lisahuntart http://lisahuntart.com/blog/?p=1917

From doodle to drawing

After sketching, noodling, doodling and asking friends and fans for their input, I settled on painting a mermaid to exemplify the word “home”. Given that I live in a coastal city in Florida, it seemed only natural to honor my love of the sea and the creatures that inhabit it, though the ones I depicted are of the fantastical sort.

Sketching on gessoed wood panel

Given how much I love allowing hidden creatures to surface on the page, this piece was meant to breathe life for a wonderful cause. The only potentially formidable challenge was the necessity to break my watercolor routine and figure out how to paint on wood with materials that I had at my disposal. I did have to pick up a few supplies as I hadn’t painted on wood since high school, but it was a fun exercise that was reminiscent of earlier efforts as a budding artist.

Initial washes

Putting on finishing touches

Finished painting

Do visit the website Art Blocks for Ghana (and the links provided)  to follow the uploads of what I think is a spectacular array of talent. No two pieces or styles are alike–but they represent a collective commitment to help raise money for a children’s home in Ghana. I really respect these artists because most are on tough production deadlines and let’s face it, none of us really have much free time–but somehow, when there is a will there is a way. Giving a little bit of ourselves to something greater than ourselves is worth the effort. For myself, it just felt good to do and it helped me feel more productive in general. It did not take time away from other things, it gave me something sacred that made me feel better about the things I’m doing.

Picture Book Project Foundation.

I’m honored to be part of this important art auction. The proceeds from the event will help build a children’s home in Ghana. Approximately 200 top artists in the animation and illustration communities will be painting original artworks on wooden blocks centered around the theme “Home”. Yup, that’s the extent of the art direction! It sounds easier than it is.
Here are some the panels that have been submitted so far:
http://www.artblocksghana.blogspot.com/

The work I’ve seen has been fabulous and reflects a deep committment to the cause. Some of you may recognize the name Tia Kratter—she is an animated film legend!

After a bit of procrastinating, I’ve started doodling around with ideas. Here are some thumbnails I thought I’d share with you. I’m torn between painting a mermaid in her watery realm and a hamster in her cozy nest. Obviously, I need to make a decision soon. The deadline for the final art panel is October 18th.

Phew!
Mermaid or hamster, please vote.

~ Lisa

Final watercolor painting

Many of you may not realize that I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Animation back when few schools offered it. I graduated at the top of my class, not because I had the greatest animations but because I integrated my watercolor paintings within a 3D environment. My work was different and bold and was demonstrative of a wee bit of creative rebellion. I did not follow any portfolio model, but rather I set out to create my own. The result was winning “Best Digital AND Print Awards” and subsequent work in production as a conceptual designer. Those years forced me to work fast and furious—I had to crank out 2 concepts a day and did it with great enthusiasm. I haven’t thought much about animation in the decade since, but then one day I had a hankering to play around with stop-motion.

These are not well planned—as a matter of fact, they’re not planned at all. The stop-motion antics just kind of evolved in a stream of consciousness, somewhat like the painting. It has been a matter of playing around with a kneaded eraser and a skull in between paint strokes. I never want my stop-motion play to interfere with the intensity of the painting process. But at the same time, they serve to help balance my fever-pitch (and potentially emotionally draining) applications—giving me pause, a breath and a little comic relief to lean on. This was especially helpful while painting Battlefield Ghosts, given the dark nature of the subject matter. I hope you enjoy watching the video as much as I did creating it. My mother is very happy to see me animating again having sent the following note: “Saw your clip on facebook. What a painting–I got a big charge out of your animation. Great Lisi, are you rediscovering those talents? I hope so. You were good, remember?”

Thanks, Mom.
And a big thank you to my talented husband Kort, who came up with the idea of time-lapse photography and the final video animation.

And for those of you who haven’t seen this, U.S. Games Systems Inc. who is supporting the Ghost & Spirits Tarot deck’s publication, just posted a lovely (sneaky) word association/interview. I had no idea that Kort was answering questions about me behind my back. haha! But his answers are fascinating because they allow me to see my own artistic process through objective eyes (I’ve also learned a thing or two about the dynamics of our relationship). And yes, that is the latest photo of me on my new wheels–trying to do my part by driving less and biking more. My friend/fellow author Celeste Heldstab suggested I name my bike “Gaea”.  I kind of like that.

Lisa on her new TREK

Here’s the link to the U.S. Games’  interview:

The Fool’s Blog “Lisa Hunt Off the Canvas”

Thank you for your continued support, friends!

~Lisa

Here’s the finished painting

The final Psychopomp painting

The final outcome of a painting is always a mystery. But that’s what makes the whole process continually fresh and exciting, even after so many years of tireless creative exploration.

~Lisa

I hope my demonstration helps to shed light on my process. These days, I do not over-plan an image. During my early years when I was an insecure artist just learning my craft I would plan out every facet and detail. But these days I know my voice and feel rather confident as a technician (though, one can never stop learning!). I draw from heart and soul and just let the art take over.  With that said, I do some anatomical studies (I am a self-proclaimed anatomy geek) and sometimes will draft a good drawing on tracing paper to trace down. But the majority of the art is done with a spontaneous vigor that allows sequences from within the depths of my psyche to help determine an image’s outcome. It is raw creativity that channels through my being without interference and it is the perfect method to employ while working on a project like Ghosts and Spirits Tarot! I’ve opened the chambers of my mind wide open and am enjoying meeting all the spirits milling about there.

~Lisa

Here I am with a foolish young heart (and thin figure!). This is 1995 while working on my first tarot deck: the Shapeshifter Tarot

This is the painting that determined my artistic path. The Sorceress was the sample I painted before landing my first tarot contract with Llewellyn Publications.

Here's a Shapeshifter portrait I did for 60's rock icon, Donovan. I flew to San Francisco and presented the framed painting to him in person at a 1997 Whole Life Expo (my apologies for the poor photo quality--I know I have more somewhere).

Here I am in 1998 at an Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale graduation. At the time I was working on Celtic Dragon Tarot, I was also earning a degree in Computer Animation (very new at the time). I face-mapped the Shapeshifter Tarot images on 3D runes and had them spin around in space. No one ever saw anything like that before and it earned me the top prize in my graduating class (and a subsequent job as a conceptual designer and later, college teacher).

Here's my studio. On the wall is a framed Celtic Dragon Tarot press sheet. As my biggest seller, it holds a place of honor in my workspace.

After Celtic Dragon Tarot, my book Celestial Goddesses was published. I met fabulous people along the way, including my dear friend Pam (professional singer/art educator extraordinaire). This was taken during the Spring of 2002.

I also met my future husband at the one and only Celestial Goddesses book signing. It was destiny!

During the past 15 years, I've nurtured an extraordinary friendship with the brilliant and soulful Kris Waldherr.

While I was earning my Masters Degree in Interdisplinary Studies, Animals Divine Tarot was published. It earned a COVR award the following year (2006).

After Animals Divine Tarot, there was Fantastical Creatures Tarot published by US Games. Here I am at a 2007 INATS East signing/reading. I was busy!

While working on tarot decks and books, I had kids! Here I am with my artistic son Connor in 2009.

Here's Kyra in the studio in (early 2009?). My kids love to draw too!

Here's a bookcover-in-progress I did last year.

I also had a 10 year stint as a Collectible Card Game artist, but after over 100 images I retired from the industry.

I also studied martial arts and earned my Black Belt in TKD as a means of getting healthy and feeling more balanced while in the studio. It's easy to neglect oneself when one is so consumed by one's artistic passions! (2008)

I loved writing this book!

Here's a framed press sheet of The Fairy Tale Tarot that hung at a local gallery in 2009.

Here I am at work in the studio. I use the TP for painting--just in case you were confused. (2010)

Here's what I'm working on now...

and here's what I'll be working on next.

It has been a wonderful journey so far. I can honestly say that I feel a deep sense of gratitude for my life. Yes, I did make things happen, but I also feel I’m a blessed person to be able to live my passion and know who I am. Who knows what will be? But for now, I’m perfectly content with the here and now. But sometimes it’s good to reflect back and take pause. I don’t take anything for granted!

~ Lisa