Lisa Penny

Artist Statement

My abstract mixed media practice is rooted in the concept of rebuilding, as both a tangible process and a metaphor for transformation. Rebuilding acknowledges what has been lost while opening paths toward renewal, resilience, and new possibilities. In these post-pandemic years, we all have faced a reckoning of our lives and social systems. This balance between memory, history, and reinvention is central to my work.

Influenced by artists such as Matisse, Sonia Delaunay, and Kandinsky, I draw on an impressionist’s sensitivity to light while engaging the dynamic energy of abstraction. I incorporate the rhythmic geometry of Orphism and structural elements of Cubism to create a visual language that contrasts intuitive expression and precise construction, using three-dimensional materials with contemporary design sensibilities.

Material choice is vital: acrylic paints, fabric varieties, cork, wood veneer, glass, papers, semi-precious stones, metals, and found objects combine to form layered surfaces that invite visual and tactile exploration. I source natural, organic, and Fair Trade materials whenever possible. Materials may take on literal uses, or often represent symbolic elements of an artwork’s overall conversation.

The heart of my work is not so much an expression of my opinions as it is an opening of conversations. I see these discussions not only as physical interactions, but as a lens for re-imagining how we connect to the world. These conversations attempt to identify the complexities of reality, while leaning into the possibility of transformation. This duality of memory and renewal guides my approach.

Ultimately, my work seeks to transform viewing into a sensory journey, collaging cycles of destruction and creation, contrasting expression and structure, and offering space for reflection, regeneration, and the emergence of new narratives of hope, resilience, and creative renewal.