Artists > Lisa Campbell
I have always loved the art of storytelling, whether in the form of film, a book, a piece of music or a painting. My paintings have a story to tell, sometimes quite simple, a couple walking down the street, sometimes more complex, leaving the viewer to participate and question what is going on. "Who is the girl waiting for?" "What are they looking at?" to mention a couple questions about some of my paintings.
As a keen people watcher and observer of life my inspiration for a painting starts with a figure, perhaps the clothing worn, a red hat, a scarf worn in a certain way, something they are doing or the interaction between a couple or group of people. I am interested in portraying people in everyday situations and the relationship within their surroundings.
When I start a new painting I draw and plan the painting working from my own photos and always start with the figure, allowing the background and foreground to develop around the central figure or figures. The idea of working around the figure continues with the painting, where I like to use a limited palette. I am fascinated by colour mixing and still find magical when two colours are mixed together to create another colour. I usually use palette knives and love the way colours can bounce off each other to make, I hope, bold and striking paintings.