Photo: Anna Rosenberg

“I am drawn to beauty and mystery in the visual world.”

D. Lisa West was born in Seattle where she grew up in a family compound surrounded by cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Her father was an immigrant from Finland. Their Northwest compound had a sauna and a two-lane bowling alley on it, a large summer garden, fruit trees, berries, and seven hazelnut trees. They even had a walk-in freezer to preserve the bountiful harvests. In summers they traveled to the ocean to stay in the cabin the families owned and built together.

D. Lisa studied at Gage Academy of Art in Seattle with the founder, Gary Faigin. She works with a variety of mediums but uses traditional drawing tools and techniques on a large and small scale. She creates emotive, expressive works using palette knives and bold brush strokes in oil.

She also explores the intersection between meditation and art through her “Doodle Like an Artist” , and Creativity as Spiritual Practice courses. D. Lisa teaches classes in her studio, inviting in the public to learn and understand her process. She has exhibited all around the Seattle area and was a recipient of the 2020 Shunpike Storefronts project award.

D.Lisa developed a large-scale series 6 foot tall drawings, currently in production as a limited addition angel card deck.

 

SELECT EXHIBITIONS

2022

Ballardworks
Coola Yoga

2021

Covid Angels, Shunpike Storefronts, Bellevue
Group Show, Ballardworks, July
ERA Living Lakeside

2020

Overseas, Vestischer Künstlerbund Recklinghausen, Germany

2019

BlueStar Cafe
Water, Ballardworks
ERA Living

2018

Private residence exhibit, West Seattle
Irwins Bakery, Wallingford
The Shooting Gallery, West Seattle

2017

Belltown Artwalk (twice)
Seattle Artists League

2016

BarkArt Event, Luxe Magazine
Madrona Wine Merchants
Artists and Friends, Ballardworks
ERA Living, Wallingford
Gage Academy of Art Selfie Show
Aljoya Thornton Creek curated by June Sekiguchi

2015

Renton Art Show
ArtChix Show, Ballardworks
West Seattle Art Walk

2014

Puny Show, Shooting Gallery
Port Townsend Art Show
20/20 Vision Show, Burien
Gage 25 Alumni Show, Axis

2013

Artist Edge Program, Port Townsend, Wash.
Greenwood Art Walk
Bemis Art Show

2012

Best of Gage Academy of Art
Solo show, The Shooting Gallery
Group and Solo shows, West Seattle Art Walk

2011

Best of Gage Academy of Art
Gage Annual Self Portrait Show
Artchix World Premier show, Cafe LuLu

Education

2009 – 2013 – Gage Academy of Art

Awards and Honors

2016 – Juror, Maple Valley Arts

2013 – Best of Show, Maple Valley Creative Arts

2012 – First Place, Gage Annual Self Portrait

2010 – Juror’s Award, Renton Annual Art Show

2009 – Honorable mention, Gage Annual Self Portrait