“Dreamlife” Exhibit - Artist Interviews Series Four

By Roxanne Phillips 

We proudly present our fourth in a series of interviews with artists whose works are featured in our Art Saint Louis virtual gallery exhibit: "Dreamlife." This juried exhibit is presented exclusively online from May 1 to July 1, 2021. You can view all the virtual exhibit as well as all 45 featured artworks on our website here and in our Facebook album here.

We proudly introduce you to featured artists Lisa Crisman, Connor Crowe, and Cayla Dodd.
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LISA CRISMAN

Featured in Art Saint Louis virtual gallery exhibit, “Dreamlife” (May 1-July 1, 2021): Lisa Crisman, Maryland Heights, MO. “TiltaWhirl.” 2021. Mixed Media, Collage on Cradled Panel, 18”x24”. $525 unframed.
Artist’s statement: “In my dreams landscapes are fantastical. Shapes are whimsical with vibrant colors and patterns not seen in reality. My dream landscapes are magical and wondrous. These "dreamscapes" are happy places and my idea of heaven. I use stenciling and mark making to paint papers which I then tear into the shapes of the landscape. They are collaged onto wood panel after the sky is painted with acrylic.”

Roxanne Phillips: If you're having trouble making a piece what do you do?
Lisa Crisman: If I'm having trouble with a piece I usually try to leave it alone and look at it with fresh eyes the next day. I usually don't "give up" on a piece. I'll try to work through it with adjusting the composition or color.

Lisa Crisman. "All the Neighbors Hated the Purple House.” 2021. Mixed Media/Collage on Panel, 16"x20”. NFS.

RP: How/when do you know your piece you're working on is good enough to call done? 

LC: I usually know a piece is done when it feels complete. When I look at it, it "feels" balanced and I've said everything I want to communicate in the piece.

Lisa Crisman. "Through the Looking Glass.” 2021. Mixed Media/Collage on Panel, 12"x16”. $335.

RP: Do you ever wonder about your artwork once it leaves your hands? 
LC: Yes, they are my babies and I think about them. My art has given me joy in the making of it and once sold and out of my hands, it brings joy to another family. So it makes me happy that my art is bringing joy to others.

Lisa Crisman. "On Edge.” 2021. Mixed Media/Collage on Panel, 18"x24”. NFS.

RP: What is the biggest challenge with being an artist and juggling all life throws at you? 
LC: I feel that my biggest challenge (and I know other artists share this belief) is that I must wear many hats and juggle my creative time actually making art with marketing my art and other aspects of running my business.

Lisa Crisman. "Kiss the Sky.” 2021. Mixed Media/Collage on Panel, 18"x24”. $525.

RP: What was your career path? How did you get from being an aspiring artist to doing it? 
LC: I worked as a Respiratory Therapist for many years in order to support my family. However, I ALWAYS wanted to be an artist. I finally just made it happen and dove in headfirst with art fairs.

Lisa Crisman. "They Had More Room in the Backyard.” 2021. Mixed Media/Collage on Panel, 16"x20”. $425.

RP: How has your art evolved thought the years and describe the different stages of creating? 
LC: I've always loved drawing and I felt like I had a unique/quirky perspective. When I began doing art fairs I was doing pastels and watercolors. I really enjoyed using vibrant non-local color. Frustration with framing and a desire to explore different media led me to mixed media. My stages of creating involve an initial sketch, then thinking about a color palette. At that point I paint watercolor paper and add texture with stenciling and mark making. Then these papers get torn into the shapes of the landscape. The sky is painted with acrylic then the pieces of the landscape are collaged onto wood panel.

St. Louis area artist Lisa Crisman's studio space.

Artist Lisa Crisman with some of her work.

Learn more about Lisa Crisman: www.lisacrismanart.com and www.facebook.com/LisaCrismanLeftEarArt and www.instagram.com/lisacrismanart
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CONNOR CROWE

Featured in Art Saint Louis' “Dreamlife”: Connor Crowe, Clayton, MO. “Neo-Gothic.” 2021. Digital Illustration on Paper, 14”x15”. Not for Sale.
Artist’s statement: “With “Neo-Gothic” I directly invoked the spirit of M.C. Escher's maze-like prints. Using this influence, I strived to create a work that expressed the subconscious aspect of dreams. I imbued the scene with a sense of mystery by removing an objective and setting from the piece. The central figure seems to be going nowhere and the environment around her is indistinct.”

Roxanne Phillips: When do your best ideas come to you?
Connor Crowe: My best ideas usually come to me when I'm watching a TV, or movie, or when I'm scrolling through Pinterest. I get inspired by costumes, decorative objects, storylines, other artists, etc. Seeing these things motivates me in creating and strengthening my personal style.

Connor Crowe. "Ancient Future." 2021. Digital on Paper, 14"x11". $350.

RP: Criticism, friend...foe...or is it your muse back talking to you?
CC: I find criticism to be helpful when I'm making a piece. It enables me to assess what I'm doing, or to see my work from a different perspective. Criticism pushes me to try something new and challenges me to consider the input of others. I think it's an important part of the creative process.

Connor Crowe. "Triton." 2021. Digital on Paper, 14"x11". $350.

RP: What color infuriates you...which color do you gravitate towards?  Thick lines, thin lines or no lines?
CC: Honestly, I like all colors except ones that are very dark, or very light. When I was younger, I used to hate orange and yellow, but I have come to appreciate them now. I feel that I gravitate towards pink and light blue. I think these colors are both very beautiful and expressive. A year ago, I was obsessed with thick lines because they captured the dark, moody vibe I wanted in my work. Today, I am firmly no lines because I want to create art that is light and airy.

RP: When working on a piece when is it most enjoyable, the beginning, in the middle or the final moment?
CC: For me, the most enjoyable part of working on a piece is the end. I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from finishing something and I am happy to relax and take a break from creating. I like the beginning and the middle of the process, but these moments can also be a little difficult and frustrating as I am trying to get everything right.

Connor Crowe. "Pandora's Box." 2020. Digital on Paper, 14"x11". $350.

RP: Why do artists stop making pieces and have you ever come close to that point?
CC: I think artists stop making pieces when they're bored, don't have inspiration, or just need a break. I stop making pieces every once in a while because I have other focuses in life and I am not always inspired to create something. I think it's healthy to do other things and have other experiences.

RP: Ever dream about any of your artwork?
CC: Yes, I am always dreaming about my artwork. It is a great way to develop new ideas and to solve problems in your work.

Connor Crowe. "Imaginary Travel." 2021. Digital on Paper, 14"x11". $350.

RP: What is the biggest point of inspiration for your artwork?
CC: Right now, I am very inspired by ancient Chinese clothing and Retrofuturism. In general, I am inspired by fashion, interior design, graphic novels, history, and science-fiction.

RP:What was it that first prompted your career/activity as an artist?
CC: I first began seriously creating as an artist around two years ago when I was planning to apply for an MFA in Interior Design. As a part of that process, I had to create a fine arts portfolio. Designing this was the first time that I had ever created complete and cohesive pieces. From that moment on, I took my art more seriously and kept building my skills. Each year, I make a new portfolio as a benchmark of where I've come and where I can go.

Connor Crowe. "Ukiyo-e." 2020. Digital on Paper, 14"x11". $350.

RP: What is it that you are most eager to convey through your art/ how do you want the viewer to receive or interpret or your art?
CC: With my art, I truly just want to create beautiful images that inspire people and give them enjoyment. I would like my work to be entertainment, like a new world for people to get lost in. I want to convey a sense of ambiguity and mystery in my art because I have no real intentions besides making something aesthetically pleasing. I want the viewer to have their own opinion and interpretation of each piece because this is the most interesting to me.

Learn more about Connor Crowe: www.instagram.com/wavering_moons
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CAYLA DODD

Featured in Art Saint Louis’ “Dreamlife”: Cayla Dodd, Hazelwood, MO. “Stuck.” 2021. Ink, Watercolor on Paper, 12”x18”. Not for Sale.
Artist’s statement: “It doesn't matter if you need to see something to dream or to think of it. I feel like my sight can be deceiving at times and that I need to just close my eyes and let my mind go. When I'm asleep, that's where I'm alive and letting my imagination and dreams flow. Stuck was created with the use of ink and watercolor because those mediums can't be controlled as much like pencil or paint. My mind acts like water. It helps the colors(or ideas) flow out, so they can be expressed and heard.”

Roxanne Phillips: Why do you make art?
Cayla Dodd: Art makes me calm and relax. It gets me to think creatively and experiment with different mediums and ideas that come to my head.

RP: How/when do you know your piece you're working on is good enough to call done?
CD: My art is never done. I try to keep working on it and/or stare at it multiple times, but I need to tell myself to stop or it will never be 'done'.

Cayla Dodd. "Last Level.” 2020. 3-d Environment on Maya, 1920x1080p. Not for Sale.

RP: When working on a piece when is it most enjoyable, the beginning, in the middle or the final moment?
CD: The final moment because to me, the beginning is the planning that may change along the way. Seeing it all come together and the final results is what's enjoyable.

Cayla Dodd. “Calico Cat.” 2015. Charcoal on Paper, 9”x12”. Not for Sale.

RP: Do you ever wonder about your artwork once it leaves your hands?
CD: Yes, mainly to think what I can improve on it or on a future piece.

Cayla Dodd. “Skate Dog.” 2020. Packing Design, multiple dimensions. Not for Sale.

RP: Do you prefer to make one specific piece or a series of pieces?
CD: This question is very open to me because I do make specific pieces to just try out something or that I have a specific message/subject I want to do, and then I slowly make them into a small series because I enjoyed making more of that subject and/or material.

Cayla Dodd. "Bloom.” 2019. Construction Paper, 18”x24". Not for Sale.

RP: What is the biggest challenge with being an artist and juggling all life throws at you?
CD: Getting yourself out there in the world as a new artist to me is the biggest challenge. I just recently graduated May 2020 - during a pandemic - and getting your name and work out has been a struggle that I want to overcome.

Cayla Dodd. “Skate Dog.” 2020. Packing Design, multiple dimensions. Not for Sale.

RP: What are you currently working on?
CD: Currently, I'm working on starting an art business! It's not art itself, but it's something I've been dreaming about and motivated to work on. I've been slowly building it since the beginning of this year, but now I'm determined to work on it throughout the summer.

Cayla Dodd. "I'm Not Like Other People.” 2018. Charcoal on Black Foam Board, 20”x30". Not for Sale.

RP: What motivates you to continue making art?
CD: Seeing other artists' art makes me want to do art. Motivation helps me push my art and ideas out on paper/canvas.

St. Louis area artist Cayla Dodd.

Learn more about Cayla Dodd: https://caylareneadodd.wixsite.com/cayladodd and www.instagram.com/caylas_art
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Roxanne Phillips is an artist and art educator based in St. Louis since 2001. She earned a MFA in Printmaking & Drawing from Washington University in St. Louis and BFA in Painting & Drawing from University of North Texas. Roxanne is an adjunct art instructor at Washington University in St. Louis and has worked with Art Saint Louis since 2017 as Administrative Assistant and Installer. From 2018-2020 she was Master Printer for Pele Prints. Her works have been featured in numerous exhibitions throughout the St. Louis region including at Art Saint Louis, Crossroads Art Studio & Gallery, and St. Louis Artists’ Guild. Her work is currently available at Union Studio in St. Louis. She has served as exhibit Juror for several regional exhibits & art fairs. Roxanne is past Board member of St. Louis Women’s Caucus for Art.