Design is central to my identity. I have been in various design and art roles for 40 years, starting from interior and urban design to real estate development and historic preservation. Finally I devoted myself to painting and sculpting.
Growing up in Michigan and attending Cranbrook Schools, a National Historic Landmark, exposed me to renowned designers like Eliel Saarinen, Albert Kahn, and Carl Milles from the 1930s, which possibly influenced my artistic inclination. Cranbrook's founder believed art should be everywhere and in anything.
This interest in design in all its forms) contributed to my desire to protect and preserve the most historic part of downtown Denver. This in turn lead to my leadership role in creating the LODO historic district in Denver. I create art using stone, paint, paper, and clay. Each piece is unique and original. The oil paintings can be bold and dramatic, sometimes with an otherworldly feel. On the other hand, if you look at the Work 0n Paper “Whispers”, that piece is very quiet.
Often my inspiration is unknown. The paintings begin with a color idea. As I add paint to the canvas or paper I soon move into a different realm. Switching from thoughts to emotions, the canvas transforms into a quiet melody. When I use hand tools on my stone sculptures, the entire process is meditative, as I chip away piece by piece.
All of my artwork is original, one-of-a-kind work in a variety of media: stone, oil, clay, and paper.
The artwork can also be seen at:
Lisa’s downtown Denver studio at Prism Workshops, Building 3, studio D. 999 Vallejo St., Denver, 80204. Set up a time to see my work, or just to say hello, through the “contact” link above.
Another source for online viewing is through Artwork Archive: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/lisa-purdy