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