old paintings revisited revelatorart style

lately i've been having fun with some of my painting techniques in the VineArts Studio during Open Studio hours. it's been an educational experience for me to look at art books and try to recreate paintings from other artists, but in my own style. this is a common practice of artists...to copy from the Masters and from each other in order to learn and grow in our artistic talents and skills. the following paintings are some that i have recently completed. my version of the "Armadale Pier" by Caroline Bailey

my version of "The Mulberry Tree" by VanGogh

my version of "Wheatfield with Crows" by VanGogh

my version of "Pollared Willows and Setting Sun" by VanGogh

Change

"Change" 24x36 mixed media on canvas. c. 2010 Lisa Marten

This is a new painting I just created mixing my impressionistic oil landscape style with my mixed media expressionist abstract style. This painting is inspired by a poem I wrote years ago.

Change
c. 1993 Lisa Marten

Change is immanent
No matter how much we try and fight it
No matter how much we try and reroute it
Change is inevitable
We can’t stop it, we can’t delay it
It will always take place
Time keeps ticking away
And there’s no way to turn back the hands
Like some futile plot in a paperback novel
The story never really ends
So how do we move with change and not become
Sucked up in its vacuum of mediocrity?
How do we deal with its’ ever pounding surf
upon our frail and fragile existence?
Change can be riveting and cruel one moment
And stabling and benevolent the next
So how do we sail the seas of change
To dock in the port of salvation
with out dashing upon the rocks of destruction?
The answer is best found in a question:
As change continues to occur…will we?

teaching splatter painting to adults

Today I taught my 5th Splatter Painting Workshop through VineArts.
I love to let the paint fly!
and I love to encourage others to allow their creative hearts to be set free by using splatter painting techniques. we start out by doing some Jackson Pollock type painting and then let the creativity flow where it will. splatter techniques can enhance other styles of painting and mediums...the only limitation is your own imagination.

we listen to expressive music during the workshop to help people get into a creative zone where the paint and the music and their hearts can converge and dance together. what they create is pretty amazing, as it comes from within them...it's very therapeutic and allows for personal expression.

Pure Freedom!!!

towards the end of the workshop we all worked together on one large canvas (5ftx13ft) to create a Pollock-style masterpiece...yes, that's right...all of us together working on one painting. it's pretty incredible to experience. what starts out to be several individuals painting...turns into a dance of paint and bodies and canvas becoming one. afterwards everyone is pretty elated and covered in paint!

*photo credits to J.Nilo

breathe again

"breathe again" 32x47 mixed media on cardboard. c.2010 Lisa Marten

This is my newest painting. I took an 18x24 impressionistic oil painting I had done years ago of the Isle of Coll, Scotland and fixed it to primed cardboard that I had glued printed text to. Then I used latex house paints to create the abstract expressionist effect.

I wanted this painting to portray a hope that is stronger than our circumstances & situations...that regardless of how things look or feel in our lives...there is always hope, always grace, always a chance to breathe again.

I call this painting: breathe again. The text in the background says: all shall be well, and all shall be well, every manner of thing shall be well...no matter what...there is grace.

CD Artwork & Graphics Projects

I recently had the honor of being contracted to do the artwork and graphics for musician/producer Daniel Cordova's new CD. The CD has just been released. I wanted to show you the cover artwork that I came up with for him.

I enjoy doing projects like this...working together with the client to create for them what speaks their vision and heart. If you're interested in Daniel's music, you can find his Page on Facebook and become a fan.

action painting

For FREEDOM!

Photo taken by E. Kessler

What an amazing night painting live large scale at The Woman of Steel Gallery in Boise!

i painted a mural on a 4foot high x 16foot long plywood surface to music. the theme of the night was "Order and Chaos"...this was fitting, as i really didn't know what i was going to paint, but it began to come to life and take form throughout the night as i allowed the music and the creative vibe from the venue to lead me.

creating the background

creating colorful texture

what started out to look like a water wave turned into the phoenix bird rising
the words i painted said: you were born out of fire and water for such a time as this.

painting finishing touches

my finished mural that will be taken on the "Liberty Rising" tour across the nation.

inside the Woman of Steel Gallery...there were 2 art exhibits (paintings by Emily Wenner and an audio/visual installation by Natasha Louie) and live jazz music being featured, along with wine and food.
the Gallery has 2 rooms with a wine bar that looks into the welding studio and there's an upstairs cigar room.
THE Woman of Steel (Irene Deely) welding metal hands to her "Vision Vessel" metal sculpture (customers paid to have their hands traced & write something on them).
the start of "Vision Vessel"

at 11:30pm Irene lit "Vision Vessel" to do an Obstacle Burn (customers wrote on pieces of paper what their "obstacles" in life were that are keeping them from fulfilling their dreams and they were placed in a metal basket inside the sculpture). there were firecrackers in the obstacle basket that went off as the papers were lit...symbolizing the release of the obstacles for people...and then we toasted with champagne!

this event was the fundraiser launch for Irene's third national "Liberty Rising" tour with her 8foot metal sculpture of Lady Liberty kickboxing evil titled "Liberty Lets Roll" (inspired by Todd Beamer on 9-11). For more info about the Liberty Rising tour, about metal artist Irene Deely, and about The Woman of Steel Gallery, go to: www.womanofsteelgallery.com

FREEDOM IS WORTH LIVING AND FIGHTING FOR!

Painting LIVE at Woman of Steel Gallery!

FOUR ARTISTS LEND THEIR TALENTS TO CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING!

7pm, Friday August 6th, at The WOMAN OF STEEL GALLERY, Garden City (Boise, Idaho).

www.womanofsteelgallery.com

The owner and sculptor of Woman of Steel Gallery, IRENE DEELY invites the public to be part of an outdoor sculpture, "Vision Vessel" by contributing tracings of their hands that will be added to the work during the evening with an "Obstacle Burn" at 11:30PM.

LISA MARTEN (that's me!) will be painting "The Experience" on a large Mural in the parking lot. Yes, I'm painting LIVE to music!

In the Gallery: NATASHA LOUIE's intriguing installation combines her original video productions into a Forest of Televisions for a unique experience. EMILY WENNER's thought provoking paintings reveal a skilled and gifted artist with an extraordinary perception of human relationships.

This EXCLUSIVE ONE NIGHT EXHIBITION promises to keep guests engaged and inspired!

In addition, the VISUAL ART COLLECTIVE (VAC) located just across "The Alley" is introducing a new artist...not to be missed!! $15 at the door include wine/beer and refreshments.(Proceeds will help fund a cross country exhibition of local artists)

VineArts Gallery Exhibit "Embracing Glory"

today we had our Opening Reception for "Embracing Glory" (the new art exhibit in the VineArts Gallery at Vineyard Boise). i made a short video to give you a feel of the event and hopefully entice you to make your way over to view the exhibit sometime in the next 2 months. the show will run from August 1st thru the beginning of October. there are around 30 artists featured with over 60 pieces of art displayed.

Painting Murals in Ecuador

I just had the amazing opportunity to travel with a team of VineArts artists to Ecuador to paint murals in Quito. It was my first time traveling to South America and my first time traveling with the intent of doing art & missions together. We served the small inner city church of Iglesia La Vina to paint 8 murals & signs within their facility and lead an art & worship service. It was one of the most rewarding things I've ever had the priviledge of taking part in. I'm still processing the experience...and will blog more about it in detail at my blogsite: www.traveling-artist.blogspot.com . For now, let me say that I know this is not an isolated event for me...in my heart I know that I am called to travel and to paint and to serve & minister to others...this is only the beginning for me.

BORN OF FIRE

I just finished this painting titled "BORN OF FIRE". It's a 26x36 mixed media abstract on canvas. It's my version of the Phoenix. I've had this painting in my head for several weeks now. It's been speaking to me from the depths of my heart. It represents my spirit coming alive...through challenges and conflicts, struggles and storms. It is through the fire that life can be appreciated and experienced with true joy and freedom...to be fully alive!

Deep and Wide

Here is the new sanctuary stage backdrop for Boise Vineyard church. It was unveiled this last Sunday June 6th. The meaning behind it is all about the Kingdom of God...letting our growth in love to go deep and wide.

Psalm 1:3 says that a person who loves God and His Word "is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither; whatever he does prospers." Jesus said in Mark 12, "To love God with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."...in other words, the Kingdom of God is all about LOVE.

This backdrop will be up for about 9 months as the pastors take the congregation through the Gospel book of Mark.

I had the beautiful honor of being a part of a group of 15 VineArts artists who worked together to come up with the design, 6 artists who co-created to bring it to life on the 3 canvas panels (each 11x18 feet), and 6 artists who painted on it during worship at 2 morning services.

"It's a live oak tree, roots digging deep and branches sprawling wide. The cross and the tree are one. It's important for the roots to go deep first, followed by the branches going wide in compassionate works. Without first being grounded in Christ, our human efforts to love people will fail every time."

Throughout the 9 months the artists of VineArts will continue to add more to it at various key moments to illustrate the Word coming to life.

sweep me away

"sweep me away" 34x57 mixed media on board c. 2010 Lisa Marten

this is my new "hybrid" mixed media painting combining one of my impressionistic oil landscape paintings with abstract collage expressionism. this painting has been long in coming. it feels so good to finally get it out of my head & heart. it has everything to do with letting God take your hand, hold you, lead you, and sweep you away into his heart, his mercy, his grace, his forgiveness, his healing, his comfort, his peace, his passion, his freedom, his love. it's about letting go. it's about release. it's about trust. may you let him gently wash over your heart and your life.

suddenly I feel you holding me.
sweep me away.
suddenly I feel your hand in mine.
sweep me away.
suddenly I feel you leading me.
sweep me away.
suddenly I feel your heart in mine.
sweep me away.

-Charlie Hall "Sweep Me Away" from the album Passion: Our Love is Loud

June Art Show

For the month of June 2010 my art is being featured at LUX Fashion Lounge in Boise. LUX is a new/used clothing store that sits in the heart of downtown Boise. I have 7 multi media pieces on display & for sale. The walls inside are painted red, so my abstracts really pop! Last night (during the city's First Thursday Art Walk) was the opening for my show. I was warmly blessed that several friends came out for it. It's been a few years since I've had an art show downtown and I am really excited to be back out there with my art...this time showing my abstracts!

LUX Fashion Lounge

785 W. Idaho Street

Boise, ID 83702

Painting FREEDOM

Yesterday I had the wonderful honor of being able to paint during worship. These are 2 of my most favorite things integrated together. So along with lots of coffee before and after, and the joy of people joining in to worship God (which is all about relationship with God)....my heart was released to express freedom more than I've ever done before. I believe something happened yesterday in a deep meaningful way for a lot of people. I painted a word on the backdrop for both morning services at Boise Vineyard (first service I painted "TRUTH" and second service I painted "Spirit") and then I painted on a large canvas during worship for a special evening service (which the painting seemed to transform before our eyes throughout the night). The photos just can't convey the complete freedom that was unleashed in me as I painted and danced and sang and jumped and leaped and flung paint and laughed and cried. People were responding in worship and were released in freedom too and many came up to me afterwards to tell me their stories. I am humbled and in awe at how a simple act of me being all that I am could inspire so many people to be all that they can be.

painting with the band during morning services painting
i used brushes, rags, and my fingers

Truth

Spirit

the words

painting with the band during worship on Sunday night

come Holy Spirit.
purple flowing into blue (representing the freedom of the Holy Spirit)

Grace written in the white paint as if from God washing over us & yellow (representing God's presence coming down to us)
painting waves in the center of a white circle (representing many things...depending on what it speaks to people...the storms of life, the river of God...etc.)

letting differnent colors of paint drip down like rain (the red representing the cleansing blood of Jesus)

the finished painting...i call it "MORE LORD!"