I have spent my life making art, sometimes in the background and sometimes front and center. In early years, sitting with my mother, there were quiet contemplative moments when she taught me how to draw a face with Crayola crayons. Because of my father’s large accumulation of reading material, I learned design, line quality and color from the “New Yorker” and the “New York Times Sunday Magazine”. I studied the photography of “Life Magazine” and the “National Geographic” long before I could read the articles. Oh yes, formally, I studied ceramics and photography at Nazareth college of Rochester achieving a B.S. in studio art, concentration in women’s studies.

My three children grace my life. They were my inspiration while I studied art and later as I worked as an advocate for children with disabilities. Gabe (aka McGee), Johannah and Reilly are all artists, musicians and writers. When they were small we sat together sharing those crayons and peaceful moments. They were the primary subjects of my artwork at that time. My husband Nathan was my companion in picture taking for many years when the children were older. We traveled and adventured and shot many rolls of film joyfully.

In the last few years I have concentrated on black and white landscape, still life and self portrait photography. I am fascinated with light and shadow and how it changes over time. In a minute a scene can change in mood from playful to somber with the passing of a cloud. Water can capture a jewel of light and play with it and then toss it aside as the day passes. Life is full of these changes sometimes difficult to understand and process. Sky, clouds and water are often in my landscape artwork. I am also concerned with design and how structure can delight and pull an image out of the ordinary, giving it new or multiple meanings. Visual ironies fascinate me. In still life composition, through light and shadow play, I search for a feeling of presence. Through self-portrait I wish to convey a feeling of time and memory, grief and joy in a nonlinear consciousness.

I am a recent recipient of “Excellence in the Arts Award”, July 2011- Members Exhibition, Arts and Cultural Council of Rochester NY. I also exhibit at the High Falls Visitors Center Art Gallery and at Rochester Contemporary members’ shows, as well as the annual 6 by 6 show. Image City exhibited my work earlier this year. I am also an administrator for a Flickr group, “Most Excellent”.

My website where my work can be seen and purchased is redbubble.com/people/lisacook1