Lissa Bockrath

Lissa Bockrath

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]


I am reluctant to write artists statements because I feel the work is always evolving. As each body of work progresses I try to keep an open mind and not get constrained by any definitive image. An idea or concept may initiate my art but it does not define the resulting body of work. That is certainly the case with these paintings as the images have common themes but does not adhere to a linear framework.

I start each painting without a preconceived idea of what the final image or end result will be and instead my process becomes a stream of consciousness. Working with the inherent natural elements in the process of painting is what I relish most. The “spontaneous” reactions of the medium inspire me. When I trust my instincts and work intuitively, the images produced are more believable and powerful than anything I could have worked to consciously produce.
As an artist I often have moments of complete obsession and over my career the source of that fixation has varied… currently the disastrous images of extreme weather’s impact have flooded my thoughts. The power, inherent beauty and destruction of nature subconsciously inspire this work. Being in tune with my self-conscious has always led me in the right direction with my work and my life. I feel these paintings represent juxtaposition of the Earth’s unparalleled power and domination, and in particular this interrelation with the fragility of man.