Meet Lisa Calzavara: Contemporary Abstractionist Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Calzavara and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
Following a challenge through to the end has always been an important principle for me. Recently we’ve been presented with unique challenges in an extremely stressful time. Finding the strength to persevere is difficult but necessary in order to make progress. By working through the issues as we encounter them, we clarify our values and learn new ways to overcome adversity. This empowers us as individuals and as a community. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Intuition is key to creating my artwork. I love using different mediums and some materials just lend themselves better to the emotional concepts I’m trying to convey. For instance, strength and endurance are better stated in my three dimensional resin sculptures, while the joy of movement and spontaneity can be expressed through my acrylics and oils, capturing the delight of the moment. I’m energized when creating and very passionate about the pieces I’ve produced, each uniquely capturing an idea or moment in time. The art pieces I’m currently working on are in response to the many challenges we experienced in 2020. The contemporary abstracts I’ve created are a narrative of the emotional rollercoaster we endured. The pieces range from surrealism to extreme abstraction with high contrasts of colors echoing the strange and volatile times. The sculptures are dimensional lines interwoven into masses exposing the positive and negative shapes created within. Being an artist in a time of isolation is a challenge. Well let’s face it we’ve all been challenged this past year. I think the important thing I’ve learned is how connecting with others makes us stronger and better able to overcome our struggles. In a world full of art will mine be special? Don’t know, I think the bigger take away is that the world is better because we have art in it and artists willing share their work with us.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A great place to start is the Art District on Santa Fe. There are many galleries with a variety of artwork and it changes monthly so you’ll always find something new. The Museum of Modern Art Denver also continues to present thought provoking exhibits which are very unique. For food, The Chop House never disappoints with great burgers and steaks. In the summer, Art Student’s League puts together the Summer Art Market that has interesting art work available for purchase.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Over the years I’ve been delighted to be a part of several galleries. The members of Sync Gallery and D’art Gallery have encouraged and supported me in all of my artistic endeavors and brought our community together strengthening the arts on Santa Fe in Denver.

Website: www.aprettypainting.com
Facebook: Fine Art by LC

Image Credits
Tom Calzavara Lisa Calzavara