Join us for a day of painting en plein air at the tranquil Labyrinth Garden in Greentown. Artist Lisa Hannick will guide you through the process, and you’ll have the opportunity to display your work at The Grove’s grand opening. Light refreshments and good company provided. Please bring your own art supplies and lunch.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.

Meet Lisa Hannick

Classical Realism With A Very Painterly Approach

My paintings are a reflection of classical art. There are many layers of paint, each one drying before a subsequent layer can be applied. This defines the classical approach. I begin quite loosely and abstract with shapes appearing intrinsically. I work quickly, covering the entire canvas. Soon, the painting develops and evolves. If this technique is abandoned, the spontaneity is lost and the painting risks becoming contrived and overworked. With each layer comes more paint, building up into thick, juicy, lusciousness – thus the painterly approach. I love this part of the painting process where ghosts of shapes emerge only to be entombed in paint and then perhaps to re-emerge.

Composition, for me, is an extremely important element in a painting. My landscapes and still lifes are well thought out. They are a study of my surroundings and objects carefully orchestrated to lead the viewer through the painting. I want their attention to stay focused and to navigate the entire picture. I want my audience to linger...and to enjoy what he sees. This is accomplished through balance, scale, lighting and perspective – just to name a few. All of these elements (plus more) are the foundation for a good painting.

But more importantly, what matters most, is the reaction and response of the audience. If what I am trying to express or convey is lost, then the painting falls short. It is paramount that my emotions transcend through my work and to the viewer. My landscapes are a study of my surroundings along with what attracted me to that particular location. That is my impetus. It is thrilling for me to take the ordinary, the mundane and create a beautiful still life. They are not literal copies of what I saw but more expressions of how I felt and therefore responded. I want the viewer to understand how I felt. I want him to react to my painting, the way I reacted to the scene.

If my paintings cause someone to stop in their tracks, and gaze, and study and think, and it makes them feel good...well, what more can I ask for?

For more information about me, please go to my website, follow me on Instagram, or contact any of the following galleries: Beacon Fine Arts Gallery, Images Gallery, Morgan Gallery, and William Ris Gallery.