I'd like to introduce you to...

Lisa Congdon is a mixed media artist who is currently working and living in San Francisco. She is partnering with Rena Tom to open the San Francisco location of Rare Device, whose pilot store opened in Brooklyn in 2005. Her work has been shown in Adorn and ReadyMade magazines and can be found here, here and here We're big fans. So when she agreed to be interviewed, I blushed a little.

Rachel: How did you know you wanted to continue developing your mixed media art as opposed to just doing it for yourself?

Lisa: I went from making stuff for myself to making things for other people as gifts as the first step. That was several years ago. And the people that received my work were so positive about it, and encouraged me to show and sell it, which, at the time, seemed like a pipe dream. Right around then, I started a blog where I shared my "experiments" (which is what I called them back then), and my readers also encouraged me to continue developing my work. It wasn't until I was offered my first solo show by someone who read my blog that I began truly developing my work, pushing myself, and taking my work more seriously. In fact, I so enjoyed the experience of preparing for this show that I decided I wanted to keep doing it. And it grew from there. That was only three years ago!! It is my life now, so it all seems so amazing.

Rachel: What was it like preparing for your first show?

Lisa: Pretty intimidating. I had no idea where to start. I didn't even consider myself an artist. It was so
bizarre how fast it all happened. I was completely untrained and unprepared. I started by trying to keep some continuity in the pieces I created for the show. I did a series of ink drawings, some shadowboxes, some embroidered pieces and some stuffed birds. All the pieces had a sort of bird/tree/forest theme. The show had no name, and didn't really have a tight theme. Now I prepare for shows in as little as one month, but I worked on that show for 9 months! I worked really slowly partly because I didn't know what I was doing. And then it came to pricing. I had to ask friends to help me price pieces. I was a complete unknown in the indie art world. Even though my work was priced really cheaply, I only sold two pieces. But that didn't really matter. I realized that the experience of preparing for a show, trying to create a body of work
that holds together well, and then hanging it in the space was incredibly satisfying and enjoyable for me.

Rachel: How do you decide what your theme for a show is going to be?

Lisa: I get ideas all the time that just come to me--usually by imagery that inspires me in just regular day to day life, and I also get ideas that resonate for me. My current show is called "The Tenderhearted." I am a very sensitive person. I have been called tenderhearted. And I think I have an affinity with other tenderhearted creatures. In general, I make a list of all my potential themes in my notebook. And then I go through them as I do shows. But sometimes the theme changes a bit as I prepare for the show because things never go exactly as you imagine.

Rachel: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Lisa: Making art, showing my work in galleries, continuing to have my shop and gallery in San Francisco. Financially stable. Able to travel around the world to see new things, meet people and take photographs, which is what I want to do more than anything!!

Rachel: So, what is your morning routine like?

Lisa: I am not a morning person. But I have to get up early to get everything I do accomplished in a day. So I get up at like 7. I like to get up and do all the stuff that is the most tedious first thing to get it over
with. For example, this morning, I poured myself some cereal and made some tea and got to work packaging Etsy orders from yesterday. And then I drove my scooter to the post office. By the time that was done I had finally woken up!

Rachel: Describe your creative space at the moment.

Lisa: My studio is a place of organized chaos. I have all my inspiration around, and all my supplies in their
designated place. I have my ephemera organized by color. But I work on the floor of my studio, so it's usually looking like a hurricane has hit, especially if I am working on collage. I allow myself to make a complete mess with the paper I am cutting. And then when I'm done, I clean up (putting all unused
materials back in their designated places) and start my next project. And the storm hits again. But I am
comfortable in this mess. It's my creative place. I love it.

Rachel: Favorite drink?

Lisa: Unflitered Saki, hands down. Accompanied by a spicy tuna roll at on of my favorite sushi places.

Rachel: Biggest fear?

Lisa: Not being loved for who I am.

Her next show is opening Thursday, Sept. 6th at The Candystore so if you're close to San Fran, go and tell me how fabulous it was.

Thank you, Lisa, for giving us a peek into your world. You're a star!

Comments

[Tamar]

Very Inspiring interview! I love her work and it is always interesting to read how other artists and designers create....
Great blog, and great stuff in your Etsy store.

[Niki]

This was a nice interview, Rachel. Thanks for introducing me to another cool artist!

[Holly]

I love her use of color. Beautiful stuff!

[sara berry]

ohhh, she's a favorite artist of mine so I was completely stoked to see this interview! Thanks Rachel for doing this, I love getting to know things like this about artists. :) Wish I could teleport to san francisco.

[Stephanie]

Awesome interview Rachel!!!
Thanks for telling us about this great artist.

[mati]

oh, i love lisa!
thanks,
mati

[kariandkijsa]

Love the interview! Love the art!