I was super delighted to receive a book in the mail from Lisa Congdon, who was kind enough to send me one of her recently published books ‘Whatever you are be a good one’. I spent an entire afternoon browsing through her book, which is an amalgamation of her favourite quotes. Each quote is beautifully hand-lettered and complemented with lovely illustrations.
I stumbled upon this Oakland based artists’ work, through her blog Today is Going to be Awesome. My daily muse, I am smitten with the bright and bold colours she uses in all her artworks – be it paintings, drawings or pattern designs. Her artwork on a wall, is sure to add cheer to the daily humdrum.
A peek into some of my favourite quotes from her book:
In an email conversation, Lisa chats with me about art, life and more.
What inspires you?
Even before I started painting and drawing, I have been a fan of art and design. I often refer to myself as a “visual junkie.” I have always loved patterns and pattern design, Scandinavian design, graphic design, architecture, vintage packaging, typography, etc.
I draw inspiration from many of the things I love already. For example, I love the work of Mary Blair. She worked for Disney in the mid-century and designed really cool “modern” fairy tale scenes, like you see in ‘It’s a Small World (one of her masterpieces)’. I think sometimes people think that artists just come up with inspiration out of thin air. However, you actually have to put time and energy into making time to brainstorm, look for inspiration, and find new ideas for your work. It’s all part of the process.
Favourite artists
I love so many artists, but some of my favorites are Maira Kalman, Alexander Calder, and Sister Corita Kent.
What kind of music do you like?
I like all kinds of music. I went to high school in the 1980’s and so I have a very strong love for 80’s music. I also love classical music and choral music.
Favourite quote
I have so many (obviously)… But one of my favorites is: “Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.” Edgar Degas. It reminds us that being out of our comfort zones is incredibly important!
A little bit about yourself, and your background in art and design?
I graduated from college in 1990 with a degree in history. And quickly I went back to school to become a teacher, because I realized I needed a profession. When I was about 32 years old in about the year 2000, I began taking art classes for fun. At first, of course, making art was a hobby. After about five years of experimenting and practicing I began selling my work online. I took lots of art classes and workshops, but I never got a degree in art. So I am mostly self-taught. In 2007 I realized that I had a better chance of making a living if I did illustration or licensing, in addition to selling original works. So I started on that path. Now I make most of my living doing illustration.
Her lovely paintings:
Has travel influenced your work?
Yes, definitely! I love to look at the art and design of different cultures, from folk art to architecture to modern design to packaging design. It’s great inspiration. I try to go on one trip every year to a foreign country. Its important for me to see the world. It is one of my greatest joys!
How do illustrations vary across markets?
There are several illustration markets – from editorial work for magazines and newspapers, to book illustration, to surface design, to advertising. I do work in all of the markets and they all pay differently (some more than others!). Usually illustrators find one or two markets they really like and work in just those areas. I do mostly book illustration and surface design, because my work fits best in those areas. I also do a bit of editorial from time to time.
Updates: You can purchase a copy of her current book here. Lisa is also working on a sequel to this book, which you can purchase Fall 2015. Another book Art Inc, is slated for release August 2014.
{Photos by My Red Palette and Lisa Congdon}
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