January is turning into a “studio hermit” month as drawing and painting have slowly supplanted the hullaballoo of the holidays. The Swallow-Shapeshifter painting-in-progress had been on the board for a while due to other pressing commitments. But the “break” allowed its after-image-glow to seer into the depths of consciousness and materialize into a more thoughtful, well-executed image. I like this piece as it encompasses everything I love about doing art. It’s always hard to explain exactly what the creative drive is all about, but in the barest of explications, I think it’s a transverse humming of the soul; an intersection of energy that coalesces into something penetrable and emotive.

Finished pencil drawing and initial watercolor washes.

Washes are followed by the drybrushing of details.

The finished Swallow-Shapeshifter watercolor painting

In other Hunt-Kramerville news:

A creative life is anything but a pristine one, as many of my author, artist and musician friends would concur. As much as I would love to maintain command of my surrounds, I often have to make choices that exclude household fastidiousness. I probably take the “A clean house is a sign of a wasted life” too much to heart. Given how jam-packed my days are, negotiating studio time and/or practicing piano or well, just being mom; dusting and other mundane labors are allowed to languish on the backlog of to-dos.

The happy corner of the kitchen and the magical realm that is Kyra's bedroom.

My mother-in-law, who has the “perfect” home,  passes on her House and Garden-style magazines to me—often somewhat butchered by her gregarious scissor hands, but with enough intact to provide me with sensual escapism. I don’t really read these periodicals, but I will leaf through dreamy pages of idyllic perfection as I proceed to fantasize about my own interior decorating choices. But more times than not, rather than being dazzled by overall layouts, I will hone in on nooks and crannies and the details that give personalized expression to one’s domicile. In between piles of chaos, I nurture cozy corners in my home; little pockets of pleasure that tell stories about the inhabitants and offer temporary reprieve from the debris of a life well lived.

The corner of my bedroom, a space of quietude and good fairy tale reads. On the shelf I have a book entitled "Colors" that friend/fan Lloyd Goatee had made for me. You can also see my dear friend Kris Waldherr's portrait of Isis and a gorgeous Waterhouse poster that she had sent to me. The teddy bear is one of my oldest possessions circa 1970--full of patches and holes from a lifetime of adoration. Every single object in this photo tells its own story.

This is all I seem to be able to maintain without big fuss—a small blissful exercise in nesting. Do you have sacred spaces in your home? Do you pay close attention to the apexes that bring a room together and perhaps serve as subconscious stability?

I think for me, my cozy corners help to balance creative distractions and smatterings of overwhelmed-ness. I notice that our furry, feathery creature companions tend to gravitate to these comfort zones. I think this says it all.

Kippers and Snowy in the corner of the library. Elsa with her alligator friend on the corner of our bed.

When I walk into my studio, the first thing I see is one of my cozy corners. That seems to set the right balance for a day that will certainly be filled by messy creative activity.

Kyra doing what she loves to do the most: reading fairy tales.

In this house, we all like to curl up to a good book in a cozy nook.

~ Lisa

Parrot-Shapeshifter on the table with photographic reference

I’m not a big fan of using photographic reference. For me, I feel it tends to impede my creative flow. But sometimes a photograph will provide the artist with a peek at the world from a new point of view. When I rely too much on my own mental resources without refreshing the internal well, there is a potential for stagnation and redundancy. I’ve seen this happen to other artists and it scares me about myself. If an artist keeps taking the path of least resistance, it can get boring to the viewer. My favorite artists tend to be those who keep it fresh by expanding their repertoire while maintaining an air of humility about their work. They are the forever-learners who push and push and push never letting ego hinder the process.

My own favorite pieces tend to be ones that I consciously move into edgy realms of new possibilities. It’s like peering over a cliff and taking that leap without knowing exactly where and how you’re going to land. I think it’s important for an artist to be conscious of potential failure without fearing it. Fear and ego are often closely aligned. Let go and see your work fly!  If a painting doesn’t work, it’s not the end of the world but the beginning of further understanding and growth.

doodling ideas in sketchbook

With Parrot-Shapeshifter, I felt I needed to change up my palette so to speak and knew the extraordinary spirit that is the author/artist Emily Carding was just the energetic boost I needed.  Anyone who has acquainted her/himself with this amazing woman will know exactly what I’m talking about.

Photo of Emily Carding by Anna Simon

Lesley Morrison, author of The Healing Wisdom of birds, describes Parrot as, “A magnificent species of bird, parrots give the medicine of color to the world, and the healing everyone experiences through its beauty.  People who carry parrot medicine are often drawn to the visual arts, even costume design, or wherever they can work with colors on a daily basis.”

photo reference and inital watercolor paint washes

Who better to pose for the chromatic Parrot-Shapeshifter than a fellow artist whose work encapsulates the essence of parrot energy? Emily is a woman who exudes vibrant charisma as a photogenic model/actor and as an accomplished artist and writer. She has published many works including the brilliantly executed Transparent Tarot. She has many well-received decks with Schiffer Books and is currently working on projects entitled the Simple Wisdom of the Household Dog and Faery Crafy, both due out next year. You can learn more about the lovely Emily by visiting her website:  www.childofavalon.com.

I asked Emily to say a few words about being “Parrot-Shapeshifter” and was surprised by her reply, indicative of her generous spirit:

” I have been a fan of Lisa’s work since long before I was ever published myself so I am honoured beyond words to be the inspiration behind this extraordinary piece of art. When Lisa asked whether there was a particular bird I felt a connection with, I gave her free choice as I was curious to see what she would choose. The parrot both surprised and delighted me- the more I look at it, the more I realise how perfect a choice it is. I think Lisa has really outdone herself with the extraordinary colour and detail, as well as her trademark touch of magic!” ~Emily Carding, November 2011

Thank you Em — xo

Here’s what you helped make happen…

The finished Parrot-Shapeshifter painting.

While sketching Parrot-Shapeshifter, it became clear to me that I really needed to look at some good close-up shots of parrots. I wanted to understand those delicious patterns on the feathers and felt it was necessary to acquire good reference. I asked my friend and local photographer Moxie Nox if she would be willing to provide me with photos from one of her outings to a local sanctuary.

Moxie's amazing close-up of parrot. Look at the details!

I was delighted by the many poses and skillful zooms that she was able to provide for me. Please check out her website and friend her on Facebook. She is a delightful, insightful woman who has so many gifts to share. www.moxienox.com

“I’ve always been fascinated by the birds and enjoy taking pictures of them. I’m very fortunate to live very close to Flamingo Gardens (Davie, Florida) where I love to go often; to lose myself in photographing the birds and other wildlife that reside there. It’s pure magic in those Gardens.” ~Moxie Nox aka Melissa Ritchey

Many of us artists tend to be studio hermits and even semi-recluses, but the richness of our work often includes the outside world and how we see and feel about everything around us. This includes the symbiotic exchanges that artists often share—full of mutual support and words of inspiration and of course, helpful critiques! I’m fortunate to have largely avoided artist’s block during my 25 year career and credit this for having nurtured and maintained many diverse relationships with kindred creative spirits. Thank you Em and Moxie and thank you everyone who has touched me in ways that have nurtured my art!

In Hunt-Kramerville news: The house of continual creative messes

Speaking of vibrant colors: Here’s Kyra’s PTA 2011 “Reflections” art project submission. This year’s theme is “Diversity”. She recently completed a unit on coral reefs at school and decided to apply her knowledge about biodiversity and symbiosis to her art. Kort and I are extremely impressed with her  innate talents and undeterred confidence. She knew what she wanted to do and went ahead and did it. I thought the whole cut-away idea was really cool! As soon as we get it back, it’s going to be professionally framed.

"Sunset Sea" by Kyra Kramer

Here’s a picture of Connor in his Halloween costume that he designed and made himself. Unfortunately, he claimed the discomfort of wearing it made it hard to trick or treat!

Connor in his homemade Iron Man costume (his comic book hero of choice at present) Photo: Jonathan Hunt 2011

~Lisa

I always start with big bold watercolor washes, letting the paint flow as it will. It's very much a "wait and see what happens" exercise and is the least premeditated part of the piece. I used several different blues, greens, and reds to achieve layers of rich hues. I purposely left some whites of the paper---it just felt right.

After the initial washes, I waste no time going right for the face.

The beginning of a painting is invigorating. So many possibilities.

I slowly build up the layers and add more and more detail using a #0 brush.

Along the way, I posted this on facebook:

“Here’s the Swan-Shapeshifter watercolor painting. I think it’s done. I certainly don’t want to overwork it. Thoughts, friends?”

The painting nearing completion. This is the image I posted on Facebook.

Here are some select invaluable and insightful comments. I wanted to include them all as there was such a resounding response, but it would definitely take too much space on my blog.

Marcy Currier Just looking at it through my artist eye– when I’m working and I look at the page, certain parts call out and say, Hey, I’ve got something for you. The top of your page seems to be saying that. For me its kind of like there being a door or a tunnel. Is that helpful?

Rae della Luna Congrats! I’m drawn to the androgyny of the central figure, and don’t know why it came to mind but here goes: I feel it’s a male cross-dressing with swan (much better than Björk did the swan!) and it gives a modern, urban feel (think Cirque, BurningMan, or fests) instead of the more ubiquitous combination of animals meets fantasy movie in artwork these days. Me likes!

Lise Winne Love how the hair and feathers intermingle!

Valerie Sylvester I especially like the “circles” in it! Beautiful, as always, Lisa!

Moxie Nox This is simply spectacular!! I love the tones and how everything flows around together… I do agree with Kort’s perspective on darkening the top with deeper blues. As you know I totally rely on all things visual, I don’t see a ‘horizon’ here where the sea meets the sky when I usually see them in most of your other paintings. (If you know what I mean). To me, it seems like this view was captured from the sky, as the swanlady is swimming on her back, with her head resting on the swan’s belly… Dang, I wanna swim with her! haha.. Awesome as always!

Mickie Mueller I could look at this forever! It would be a great piece to meditate on.

Victoria Evangelina Belyavskaya wow, having tried watercolors I now know how exquisitely delicate this painting is!!! white and watercolors: that takes a lot of thought, planning and experienced talent! great job!!!

Stephanie Arwen Lynch She feels caught right in the middle between water and air. As if this transformation is a perfect expression of the dual nature of both the swan (swim/fly) and the woman (woman/swan.) Love it. I wouldn’t darken it because of that.

KiKi Thomas-Lee I love the intricacies of the feathers and the hair, melding and blending.

Terri Bivona Stunning! When I see art like this, I keep thinking…How???? Such talent!

*Terri, I don’t know about talent or even exactly how, where and why. But I have the need to express myself through these paintings. My art is as much about connecting with something deeply internal as it is about creating something that others will be moved by. Thank you!

As I move the painting into the finishing stages, I work on deepening the shadows and allowing the light areas to glow while exploiting all the marvelous textures afforded on watercolor paper.

Here's the finished watercolor painting of Swan-Shapeshifter. Thanks to the suggestions of friends and fans, I darkened the sky and tightened up some of the feathers. This resulted in a more luminous finish, more obvious focal point and an elevated sense of movement.

In between washes and paintings, I’m also working on Spirit Drawings for customers. I received a few orders so far and will post each one as I complete them. These drawings differ from “soul drawings” in that they are purposely focusing on spirit, the ethereal and something ineffable. These are not portraits, they’re creative explorations using keywords provided by the client. For example, one of my first orders included the words: Trees, bears, good spirits.

If you would like to learn more about “spirit drawings” please visit my Ghosts & Spirits Tarot website. The orders take approximately 2 weeks to turnaround and mail to you. If you would like one for the holidays, now is a good time to make your request. These are for a limited time only.

And the best news here at Hunt-Kramerville: Kyra was chosen “Student of the Month” in her second grade class!

Here I am posing with Kyra after the awards ceremony.

The award is primarily in recognition of having a positive attitude.  I’m proud of my daughter for being outgoing, kind-hearted and enthusiastic about people and life in general. She has a way of cheering people up with her sunshiny demeanor. To me, there is nothing more important than maintaining good character, a positive attitude and exercising compassion and care.

Kyra's self portrait Age 7

~ Lisa

If you were to wander the grounds of my New England childhood, you would definitely see how nature influenced my artistic path. The dappled lighting, the deciduous trees and leaf covered woods are nothing short of mysterious and magical. Everything hums with life and suggests something sacred. My art wasn't so much about imagination, it was about connecting with my surroundings.

Mom & Pop pay homage to the Fae world by acquiring gargoyles and gnomes. I remember how much my father hated cutting trees! Here's my daughter Kyra holding an abandoned bird nest while conferring with a fantastical friend.

Mom still has some of my nature inspired early artwork. Pop still has my first car that's being taken over by nature.

During my visit, Mom asked me to retrieve an abandoned bird's nest for her collection.

A deep love for birds and bird nests is obviously not ours alone! On the right you can see how birds may have influenced artists such as Patrick Dougherty. This was taken at the Florence Griswold Museum in Lyme, CT. Connor can be seen standing next to his sculptures as my Mom approaches.

Here’s an example of what I started working on after I returned from my trip. The visual stimulus was transcribed onto paper from memory. All of that inspirational ‘food’ had to go somewhere! The trees, the rocks, the hills…

Pencil drawing (before watercolor application) for a collectible card game to be published in the near future

Here’s another painting I’m working on that was inspired by birds, nature and other organic wonders that seep into my psyche and are brought to life with pencil and paint. My artwork reflects a connection with my surroundings–something pulsing and alive and a part of us all.

This is a close-up of Swan Shapeshifter in-progress. Yes, I use a lot of different blues as the world is full of vibrant subtlety. It's truly impossible to capture the full breadth of Mother Nature's palette.

Speaking of birds…

My studio companions Snowflake and Kippers (who love to sit on my art table lamp) oversee the bird paintings, quite literally. Um, yes, I have a poop catcher for them.

~ Lisa

Here I am posing with the legendary Stuart Kaplan, tarot authority and founder of U.S. Games Systems. I enjoyed having lunch with this charismatic genius who has brought so many visionary decks and products to fruition. He knows his stuff! Not only that, but the brownie ala mode that Stuart had ordered for me was the best I ever had.

Here I am sitting with the creative team. From left to right: My editor Lynn Araujo (modest brilliance), My designer Paula Palmer (sweet, talented lady) and Stuart Kaplan (Mr. U.S. Games).

We ate at a dockside restaurant with fabulous views and good food. Left to Right: Lynn, Bobbie Bensaid (VP at USG and owner of BulaBula Fashions, where I acquired my new favorite tunic), and Stuart (I hear he plays a mean game of tennis).

Lynn is one of the smartest ladies I have ever met. She's a fulbright scholar who holds a doctorate in linguistics. I would say my manuscript is in good editorial hands!

Here's Paula at her desk working on Ghosts & Spirits Tarot. How cool is that?

Stuart insisted I sit in his chairman chair. I felt like a queen! haha. What a dream office--full of all things tarot.

Posing with Pamela Colman Smith originals. Talk about a peak experience!

After seeing this tarot wall, I know what my next home improvement project should be.

One wall of the U.S. Games' museum. Drool-worthy!

So many games, so little time.

I had no idea that Schultz and Seuss worked on cards too.

Everyone signed and inscribed a copy of the glorious Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative Set for me. This is now one of my most treasured possessions! This is a must-have for all tarot collectors and enthusiasts. It is a stunning package!

Many of you may know this book. I'm lucky to have a signed copy!

Last but not least, here I am posing with my friend Patrick Valenza's Deviant Moon Tarot panels. Aren't they stunning?

Life is composed of fleeting moments. But some experiences have the power to serve as inspiration for years to come. Visiting U.S. Games was one of those experiences. Thank you team U.S. Games Systems for your top-notch hospitality. It was a day to remember!

~ Lisa

Final pencil drawing of Loon-Shapeshifter

I was and still am a daydreamer. What does that oft misunderstood term mean? For me, it’s about letting my foot dangle in the cool waters of dream imagery—where the slightest, most unassuming thing can initiate a fit of reverie, active imagination, and fantasizing. Basically, when I’m not drawing, painting or writing, I’m thinking about drawing, painting and writing, at least on a subconscious level. I would fathom to guess that most artists have similar pangs and whims as they go about their days.

6h grader Lisa (1979) with "her head in the clouds" (cloud photo/montage by Kort Kramer)

Art is part of a daily response to my environment, my life, my being. As a child, this posed Calvin and Hobbes-style issues as I suffered through long days as a hopelessly bored sixth grader. Those fits of ennui were relieved by an escape to a mental window of imagination; inhabited by the fantastical that made their conscious markings as doodles in my notebook. During a conference my teacher told my father “Lisa has her head in the clouds”, something my father and I now chuckle about. Though at the time, I felt like a misunderstood outsider who just didn’t connect with the ramblings transpiring in the classroom. Thank goodness for those yonder clouds that offered me refuge–they have given me a lifetime of artistic outpouring. Like the loon half in the water, I too feel between worlds where my conscious reality helps to paint the pictures situated in the unconscious mind and vice versa!

Doodling ideas for Loon-Shapeshifter (from my sketchbook)

Feeling the mysterious through sketches and notes

This is the passage that inspired the sketches, written by avid bird watcher/wildlife rescuer and author Lesley Morrison. Lesley is composing the beautiful descriptions that are accompanying my bird paintings.

Final pencil tracing for watercolor paper (the old fashioned way). My husband Kort as inspiration for Loon-Shapeshifter. He too is a daydreamer.

And here are a couple of more Daydream Believers residing in Hunt-Kramerville.

Keep on daydreaming on!

~ Lisa

Me with my Mommy 1968-69 (Mom called me her "Wildhorse")

Mom was a stunning woman. She had that jaw-dropping beauty that made heads turn. She reminded me of Elizabeth Montgomery from Bewitched fame, a TV show I loved watching as a kid. From my point of view, Mom breathed magic. But more than that, Mom was an artist and a darn good storyteller too. She was beautiful and brilliant, everything I hoped to be.  She is a voracious reader and can recite Göethe verbatim; with a deep understanding that reflects a woman of great intelligence. Her own love of books certainly fostered my book-collecting habits!

Mom's childhood--fantasies, dreams and all

When she was a little girl, drawing, telling stories, and reading were her passions. She made beautiful books and earned A’s in writing class for her extraordinary talents, often compensating for her less than stellar performance in those subjects she had little interest in. She saved these fully-illustrated treasures that I am now gratefully in possession of. As a child, I pored over her sketches and wondered how she could pluck so many ideas out of  thin air and sketch with such technical facility. I remember how badly I wanted to draw as well as she did and I’m quite sure those creations from her formative years impacted mine.

Mom's homemade books created during her teen years. She titled them "Freetime" and "Our Three Girl House" (about life with 2 sisters).

As a child, my mom's drawings were awe-inspiring!

Mom's writing and pen and ink work were beautiful!

Oh, how I loved this drawing. It had a wonderful narrative quality.

Like Mom, I excelled at what I loved to do but tended to get bored when something failed to inspire (something both my mom and I regret about ourselves). But Mom was the one who showed me how interesting history could be, by giving me the human side of past triumphs and failings. The intricacies of the human condition were often glossed over in educational texts, but mom helped to fill in the gaps and fed my lifelong interest in mythos and analytical psychology.

Mom spoke “gemischt” with me—both English and German. My early childhood books were comprised of two languages. In fact, I spoke German before I spoke English, though I didn’t find this out until much later. Eventually English took over, but my love for Märchen (fairy tales) never dissipated. If you look closely at the photo, you will recognize subject matter that later served as my basic imaginative palette for writing and illustrating.

My favorite childhood books that I still have and cherish.

You can imagine how delighted I was when The Fairy Tale Tarot was translated into German…

The Fairy Tale Tarot available in both English and German.

Due to life circumstances, mom never pursued an art/writing career, but she has always been supportive of mine. She has even posed for me, most recently as The Hermit from Fantastical Creatures Tarot.

Mom as a Hermit, still breathing magic (From Fantastical Creatures Tarot published by US Games Systems)

Mom and I didn’t always see eye to eye (as moms and daughters are notorious for butting heads!), but as I grow older —I am understanding and appreciating her more and more; especially as my own “Wildhorse” daughter shows some of the same interests and proclivities that Mom and I share. Mom was and is one of my biggest inspirations. I hope I can be just like her when I grow up!

Thank you, Mom.

One of my favorite pictures of Mom and I taken at a Renaissance Fair in 1988.

~ Lisa

My backyard: View from the studio (Photo: Kort Kramer)

I am very lucky to have a lake view from my studio window where I can watch birds frolic, fish and fly.  Ducks, pelicans, cranes, egrets, grackles, chickadees, crows, mockingbirds, hawks, vultures, loons, cormorants and a host of other species provide me with a show of flapping wings and glorious calls.

But by far the most spectacular and mysterious of these visitors is the Great Blue Heron. It silently swoops down with perfect grace. Then it patiently stands by the shore with sturdy long legs and focused intent. Its smooth deliberate moves make it a perfect specimen for the artist (and is much easier to draw than a hummingbird!). I enjoy watching and sketching this otherworldy wading creature. To me, it epitomizes patience and provides a good reminder for hyperactive humans like me to take it easy and go with the flow.

Through choppy waves and still waters, these stealthy predators exercise great patience. (Photos: Kort Kramer)

"The heron's majestic beauty exemplifies the need to develop good coping skills in the face of challenge. It exercises patient vigilance when hunting for food, even though the outcome may not be successful." ~Animals Divine Tarot companion book

Sketching the birds was easy, creating a bird-shapeshifter composition was not. Not all drawings are created equal—some flow on the paper with immediacy, while others require more patience and exploration. It took me a while to capture the essence of what I  envisioned and felt about Heron.

This is the process of working through a drawing until it feels right.

After a few frustrating sessions, I had to walk away from this piece. But when I came back, there he was—I saw the Heron-Shapeshifter surfacing from the water, breaking the impasse that had left me cold the previous days. He revealed himself to me when I stopped forcing him from his hiding place. He came to me like a fish between the ripples. I didn’t waste any time and went straight to the watercolor paper, like a heron diving for that prize. I triumphantly finished the drawing in a day’s time—a reminder that you can’t always force art, it has to come to you.

Here's the final drawing on cold press watercolor paper. Following my gut instinct, I decided to flip the design.

One last note from Hunt-Kramerville:
What would be a blog post without posting my kids’ drawings too! They see me sketching and drawing birds and wanted to be part of the fun. Kyra took a cartoon-ish approach while Connor couldn’t resist sketching a “robo bird”. I should read him Hans Christian Andersen’s The Nightingale so he realizes that real birds are better than fake ones.

Left: Connor age 11 Right: Kyra age 6

From Hungry Ghosts to Hummingbirds, graphite on watercolor paper

That is how I would best describe things here in Hunt-Kramerland right now. As I proof my Ghosts manuscript and check all the art scans (special thanks to the ever-patient Paula and Lynn at USG), I’m looking ahead to my next project focusing on birds. But before taking the next project-plunge with the same level of intensity that has always driven my art, I decided to take a 2 week break and clean out my workspace (among other things).

My studio after spending several days cleaning it out (photo by Kort Kramer)

Not only is spring cleaning uncluttering my surrounds, but it’s helping to cleanse the mind. For me, this is part of transitioning from one project to the next. What started out as an innocent enough desk-organizing task evolved into epic home improvement activity including purging papers decades old (I’m delighted that we’re becoming a paperless society!), painting walls and bookshelves, installing a new toilet (thanks Kort for handling that job) and sink faucet and all the symbolic flushing that goes with that, renewing grout, installing storage shelves, washing curtains, cleaning the garage (well, sort of), planting more flowers, polishing tiles and wood flooring and on and on. Having grown up watching and helping my parents build their house (my father is a brilliant visionary when it comes to construction–and serves as my wise do-it-yourself counselor) I am rather industrious as a middle age gal with hammer, nail, wrench etc.. I know my Pop is proud! I love to fix my home — it forces me to extract myself from the sedentary outpouring of studio days and puts me in the middle of earthy life stuff. It’s the perfect way for me to filter through the obsessiveness of art by forcing me to engage in something physical that renders immediate results.

One of my flower pots

It’s also Spring when flowers bloom and the atmosphere is one of renewed energies. This includes setting up Spring displays and feeling a renewed connection with Mother Earth. In my house, we pay homage to Beatrix Potter during this time of year.

Tusky and Lucy (Kyra's "children") decided to join the soiree.(photos by Kort Kramer)

So while I’m not at my desk, I’m nurturing other aspects of my life and the people in it. This includes eliminating those cluttery distractions and repairing broken corners of the home. I call this cleaning and fixing bug: post-project-comedown-therapy!

Oh, just a reminder, books and toys are NOT clutter.

But come May, I will have my nose back in the sketchbook and art boards. I’ve always told my children that a great way to express oneself is to do something creative. My kids take this to heart and are centered, sweet people as a result…with minds of their own, of course. Here’s Kyra expressing her dismay at hearing the word “NO” about something, especially when it comes to cleaning and uncluttering her own room.  She hasn’t quite discovered the virtues of Spring cleaning yet.

At least she got that out of her system.(photo by Kort Kramer)

Happy Spring Cleaning everyone!

~ Lisa

Observing swans in Lake Wales, Florida 2007 (photo: Kort Kramer)

After the intensity that accompanied the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot work, my new project provides the perfect calm that I now need to refill my creative well. Birds have always been supporting and sometimes leading subjects in my work. Their connection with spirit, mythos and profound symbolism are the embodiment of the human psyche. They’re natural messengers of the soul and translate nicely into museful renderings. Here are a few of my sketches and works-in-progress (as well as a few paintings from the upcoming Ghosts & Spirits deck). The ideas and images are inspired by my friend and fellow author Lesley Morrison, whose new book The Healing Wisdom of Birds is a beautiful tribute to these divine creatures. I’m honored to be working with such a passionate, knowledgeable bird enthusiast who is helping me to expand as an artist by seeing these avian wonders in new, amazing ways.

sketching swans

Swan-Shapeshifter: Graphite on Arches cold press watercolor paper

From sketch to final drawing

Initial watercolor washes on Fabriano cold press watercolor paper

Work-in-Progress "Vulture-Shapeshifter"

Swan Maiden from the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot

Guardian Angel from the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot