Lisa Congdon On Creativity, Activism, and Finding Your Flow

Lisa Congdon on Creativity, Activism, and Discovering Your Stream

Should you’re a fan of vivid colours, people artwork, social justice and heartstring-pulling work, you have undoubtedly seen the artwork of Lisa Congdon. Lisa’s capacity to seize difficult emotions and feelings in her work is actually magical. She manages to infuse a breath of contemporary air into significant tales and heavy matters, and places simply as a lot care and love into the sunshine and ethereal items she’s been creating for over 20 years.

Anjelika Temple here, co-founder of Brit + Co. I first turned conversant in Lisa Congdon’s work over 10 years in the past, once I labored at 20×200 and was in contact along with her about an upcoming print version we had been within the midst of manufacturing. Since then, I have been a complete fangirl and am deeply honored to have the ability to share a slice of her artistic journey with all of you on this version of Creative Crushin’.

From her first artwork present by way of a Flickr connection to her most up-to-date venture, a playful youngsters’s image ebook referred to as “Round“, Lisa is as prolific as she is genuine, real and so giving of herself and what she’s realized to everybody that is sport to be taught. Learn on and take within the artistic inspiration.

Anj: Let’s kick issues off by attending to know you! What is the fast model of your life story?

Lisa: I used to be born in upstate New York in a bit of metropolis referred to as Schenectady, which is exterior of the capital, Albany, and that was in 1968. My dad is a scientist. He is retired now. Each my mother and father are of their 80s now, and my mother is an artist, however she was form of just like me, very a lot a passion artist, and now takes commissions and does issues on a extra skilled degree, even nonetheless in her 80s.

I take after her in so some ways. She’s a threat taker. She does stuff regardless that she would not know what she’s doing. She’ll attempt something. She would not have that form of perfectionist worry gene that so many individuals have, and I inherited that from her. That is to not say I haven’t got worry, it is simply that a part of why I’ve made this skilled profession out of my creativity is that I am keen to attempt issues regardless that I do not know what I am doing.

So in my 20s, once I found creativity as a passion, just like what my mother was doing, it was form of a shock to everybody. I feel folks anticipated me to perhaps do nice issues on the planet, however not essentially as an artist. In truth, I believed I used to be a horrible artist. Then, once I was in my early 30s, so 20 years in the past, I went by way of an enormous breakup with any person I had been with for nearly a decade, and I modified jobs. I went from working as an elementary college trainer to working in an workplace.

I feel what occurred was that I actually felt this type of dearth of creativity in my life. Educating little children forces you to make issues attention-grabbing for them, so you need to be actually artistic. I went to work at an workplace job and I discovered myself form of depressed. I used to be lonely as a result of I used to be single for the primary time in my grownup life, and I simply form of arrange this little artwork station at my kitchen desk. I would not have even referred to as it a studio. I simply began experimenting, and I began taking courses at neighborhood schools. On the LGTBQ heart, I took this drawing class, and I simply form of fell in love with the method of creating.

This was within the early 2000s, so this was on the beginning of the Web… not the beginning of the Web at massive, however the beginning of the Web as an area for artistic folks. Flickr was turning into a factor, running a blog was turning into a factor, and there weren’t but on-line courses, Brit + Co, or studying platforms, no social media, however there was this DIY motion occurring on the Web. I began a weblog and I began sharing footage of the crappy stuff I used to be making. Let’s be clear, my work didn’t look the way in which it seems to be now. I used to be very a lot a newbie, however I liked it, and I simply stored working at it. Then, sooner or later in a while, I noticed I may make a residing at it if I form of pivoted in all the proper instructions, which included each getting higher, creating my expertise, but in addition engaged on the enterprise aspect of it, too. So, that is the quick lengthy model.

Anj: Inform me extra about what it was like while you realized “Hey, perhaps this may be my profession?” Was there a selected spark or turning level while you thought, “All proper, let’s examine?”

Lisa: One of many moments was in 2006 once I had my first present, and that happened as a result of I feel I had posted some photographs of some stuff on Flickr, which a few of you’re in all probability too younger to recollect. It was this photo-sharing website, which I wish to name the unique social media, since you may observe folks and submit your work and like and remark and all of the issues that are actually so regular in our lives. I began assembly folks on Flickr, and this girl who owned a retailer in Seattle requested me if I needed to have a present. My thoughts was blown. She requested me if I needed to have a present as a result of she was seeing the stuff I used to be making, and I bear in mind sitting at my desk the day that she … and I used to be like “Oh my God, that is actual.” Butterflies and the whole lot. “I am an artist. Wow, that is so cool!” Then, I began getting inquiries from the hair salon the place I went to get my hair achieved in San Francisco, and there was one other little store in San Francisco referred to as the Sweet Retailer the place I had a present, and this was all 2006-2007. So, that began occurring. I bought an inquiry from Poketo, a brand-new (on the time) Los Angeles-based model, and I launched a bunch of merchandise with them actually early on.

So, it was form of like “Okay, let’s examine.” On the time, this complete thought of being an illustrator was one thing I could not actually wrap my head round, however I believed, “All proper, perhaps if I can work out the illustration half and do these different issues, after which form of cobble collectively some form of earnings … ” On the time, social media was form of beginning. There was no Instagram but, however there was Fb. I made a fan web page. I bought on Twitter. I had this weblog and I simply began directing site visitors to my weblog. I began an Etsy store in 2007, and I began to make a bit of bit of cash, and in 2008, I used to be so fortunate. I signed with an agent, and slowly, issues began to occur. Now, what that did not equal on the time was cash. I used to be nonetheless working part-time at my job and, even after I left my job, I used to be freelancing for my outdated schooling non-profit the place I labored as a result of it was so arduous at first, however I used to be decided.

In hindsight, I noticed it occurred actually shortly, however it felt prefer it took perpetually, particularly to get to the purpose the place I used to be making sufficient cash to pay my mortgage, purchase meals, get myself out of debt, and that form of factor.

Anj: Bringing it again to your artistic course of, discuss to me extra about what the artistic stream looks like for you, and what you like about making issues.

Lisa: We had been speaking earlier in regards to the pleasure I felt when any person needed to offer me their house to take over to hold artwork. For me, it is this mix of the enjoyment of creating one thing that, to me, seems to be cool or is gorgeous, attention-grabbing, or says one thing, however it’s additionally about how different folks react to it. There’s my artistic course of, which is tremendous satisfying to me as a result of it is downside fixing, it is form of seeing your concepts come to life, and that’s all tremendous satisfying.

That is why I feel being an artist on this time in historical past is such a blessing for me as a result of I get to share my work with different folks, after which that’s tremendous thrilling to me, too. I am actually excited about seeing different folks’s reactions to my work, whether or not it is by way of my books or by way of social media, and that, to me, is simply as motivating as the sentiments I’ve once I’m creating one thing. I bought my first style of that again within the day once I had my first present. There’s one thing about interacting with my viewers that I really like.

I feel folks think about that individuals like me who do loads of work and are recognized as being prolific, that we sit round all day on this state of stream, and that we’re drawing and portray, listening to NPR and classical music, consuming tea, and it is all really easy. I imply, there are undoubtedly days which are like that. There are undoubtedly days the place I am similar to “God, I am the luckiest individual on the Earth. I get to do that for a residing and I find it irresistible,” the whole lot’s flowing out of me completely, and I am so happy with the whole lot I am doing, however that is perhaps 20% of the time, which is not unhealthy. The remainder of the time, it is frustration, deadlines, not being within the temper to attract one thing however I’ve to for this job that I accepted two weeks in the past, or not having any good concepts. Particularly at first, I wasn’t as expert as I’m now, so simply rendering issues that I used to be alleged to make took longer, and so it was exhausting. So, I do undoubtedly have that stream state generally, the place I am simply actually into it, however more often than not, it is arduous.

Anj: Your work is so playful, colourful, a transparent people artwork affect, and has such a recognizable colour palette and aesthetic. How did you hone in on it?

Lisa: You understand, I’ve all the time been influenced by two of the issues that you simply talked about, which is people artwork and in addition colour. It appears bizarre to say you are influenced by colour, however I actually am. I am drawn to different folks’s artwork based mostly on colour or lack of, you realize what I imply? Or the palette. It is a factor that loads of artists do not get. They’re actually good at rendering issues, however they do not essentially have a way of colour. One other factor that has all the time been an enormous affect to me is mid-century artwork and design. Alexander Girard is my absolute all-time favourite artist. Curiously, he was additionally influenced by people artwork and was a founding father of the Folks Artwork Museum in Santa Fe. So, he is all the time the instance I give of stylistically. He additionally was a collector of loads of issues and that is an enormous a part of my story. I draw loads of my collections or imaginary collections. I really like drawing preparations of issues, so order can be crucial to me. I am all the time drawing on the imaginary grid.

All of that has type of been a part of my story all alongside, even when my skillset wasn’t as developed as it’s now, however I might additionally say that, and I discuss this lots: I wrote this ebook referred to as “Find Your Artistic Voice“, and one of many issues that individuals ask me probably the most is how does one discover their type? How does one arrive at a spot the place issues are type of locked and issues are recognizable? For me, I all the time say I may paraphrase the ebook in a single sentence, which is present up and simply work at it: draw daily, make ceramics daily, or no matter your factor is, do it daily. You may’t do one thing daily, observe it, refine it, et cetera, with out it creating into one thing that is really, an extension of your DNA.

A variety of what an individual’s type is, is already in there from influences or the stuff that we discover lovely. Our brains are consistently filtering visible stimuli, particularly nowadays. You may’t stroll down the road with out seeing a cool billboard or a mural, or stroll into Goal and see cool issues on t-shirts. We’re bombarded, to not point out what’s on our telephones and what we’re scrolling by way of. Your mind, even in case you’re not aware of it, is continually saying sure, no, sure, no, sure, no. You can stroll by one million murals, billboards or no matter, stroll right into a stationery retailer, and stroll by one million playing cards, however then you definitely cease at one as a result of it speaks to you. You are like “That is probably the most lovely card,” or “That is probably the most lovely mural.” There is a purpose: as a result of it is one thing about your style that resonates.

So, we’re all the time accumulating this and that, and “Oh, who made that? Okay, I’ll look her up once I get residence. Oh, wow, she has a web site. Oh, take a look at her influences. Oh, I’ll go down that rabbit gap and see who she’s influenced by.” So, that is the place we acquire influences, after which, hopefully, we’re accumulating plenty of them in order that finally, our work may look similar to any person who we’re influenced by, however finally, we form of develop our personal type, and that is simply form of a standard a part of the trajectory.

For me, it was like that. It was simply accumulating influences, immersing myself on the planet of artwork and design. I like this. I would like my work to be extra like this. I really like the appear and feel of this. It is type of a mishmash of all of these issues. Additionally, simply getting higher at drawing and executing, and my expertise improved. I really feel like, within the final 5 – 6 years, I form of arrived on this place the place yeah, I’ve this identifiable type, and it is loopy as a result of persons are like “It solely occurred 5 – 6 years in the past? You have been making artwork for 20 years,” and I am like “Yeah, it takes a extremely very long time.” I lastly do not feel like I am nonetheless looking. That does not imply that my work nonetheless will not evolve. It doesn’t suggest that, finally, I will not land on some new inspiration that makes my work pivot differently, however that is what discovering your voice looks like, or really discovering that stream.

It is such as you arrive at this place the place you really like your work as a lot as different folks do. I began getting my work tattooed on my physique and it took me perpetually to get there as a result of I noticed I did not actually like my work very a lot earlier than, after which I lastly was like “Okay, I prefer it sufficient to tattoo it alone physique. That is an enormous deal.”

Anj: So, simply riffing off of that, I feel that lots of people, myself included, once they’re embarking on a brand new physique of labor or looking for their voice, really feel intimidated by all of the artists/people on the market doing comparable issues. How do you give recommendation and even cope with this your self? That self-doubt and that “I do not know that I’ve one thing to visually say?”

Lisa: That is a completely regular feeling. I really feel like I form of, in the previous few years, bought over a hump, and it was across the time that I felt very form of stable in my very own work. It’s so pure to check your self to different folks. I imply, how can we not? Not simply the standard of our work or the concepts behind our work, like “That is such an excellent thought, why did not I consider that,” form of factor, but in addition, on social media, it is like “Oh, so many individuals like her work. I really feel like my work is simply pretty much as good. Why do not as many individuals prefer it? Now we have the identical quantity of Instagram followers.” There’s this complete thoughts sport we play with ourselves.

I noticed about three or 4 years in the past that I used to be spending an inordinate quantity of power having these ideas, and I feel lots of people would’ve imagined that somebody as far alongside in my profession would not have had them anymore. I might admit to folks that I additionally had nervousness round social media, and other people had been stunned. They’re like “Oh, you appear so assured, so many individuals love what you do, you may have a lot engagement,” and blah, blah, blah. But, I used to be actually struggling, to not the purpose of it being debilitating, however I might submit one thing that I needed folks to be enthusiastic about and perhaps they weren’t as excited as I needed them to be, after which I might put an excessive amount of weight on that as an alternative of my very own emotions about no matter it’s I used to be posting. It could bum me out, you realize what I imply? I feel most individuals can relate to that.

So, one summer time, I began working with a coach, and one of many principal issues I labored with him on was letting go of those expectations round social media and solely posting once I felt like I actually had one thing to say, and posting no matter whether or not or not I believed the factor was going to be Instagram-friendly or not. Actually being genuine and actually honoring my very own artistic course of and my very own voice versus whether or not or not different folks appreciated it, it bought engagement, or it bought in my store, if it was one thing I used to be promoting. I set my thoughts to it. It was extraordinarily intentional on my half. I did loads of work with him, speaking by way of what that was like and the way I may shift my perspective.

I additionally needed to recover from this impostor syndrome state of affairs, which was “I suck, I am simply fortunate to be right here,” and actually, that was associated to the social media nervousness. I actually turned a nook that 12 months. I wrote about it, I meditated on it, and each time I posted, I promised myself that I used to be going to honor my very own expertise and never fear about what different folks thought. It took loads of effort, however I can actually say I’ve labored by way of it. There are moments each every so often the place I really feel upset, there are moments once I nonetheless have a slight little bit of impostor syndrome, there are moments once I nonetheless evaluate myself to different folks. I am human, however do I dwell on it? Does it management my life? No.

Anj: On the be aware of placing all of it on the market, discuss to me extra about how activism comes into play along with your work.

[Editor’s Note: This interview and conversation took place before the November 2020 election.]

Lisa: I’ve built-in a lot activism into my postings and to my Instagram specifically, and into my work, I needed to actually let go of what different folks thought as a result of the minute you begin doing that, you are going to lose followers, persons are going to not agree with you, and I consistently needed to say “I am right here to be me. I am not right here to make you snug, I am not right here to please you. I am right here to be me.” That additionally actually helped me. I’ve all the time form of been open about the place I am coming from … I say form of as a result of I’ve undoubtedly achieved extra recently, however even earlier than the 2016 election, I have been overtly homosexual since I used to be in my early 20s, I’ve by no means hidden it from anyplace, at any job, at any platform. In truth, I discuss it prefer it’s no huge deal as a result of I feel that is form of higher than something: simply folks casually seeing me with my spouse and issues like that. That is all the time type of been a part of my life.

My finest good friend is black. The rationale I carry that up is it is an vital a part of how I type of present up on the planet: that I’m in fixed interplay each single day with any person whose expertise is vastly totally different than mine. We’re so comparable in so some ways, we’re each artists, however our expertise strolling by way of the world is completely totally different. That has been personally a very powerful expertise of my life: to aim to see the world by way of this individual that I really like a lot. The ache that she experiences, the confusion she experiences, and the anger she experiences, and type of waking myself as much as that. That, along with my very own type of being a part of a marginalized group myself has made it virtually unimaginable for me to not discuss social justice in my work as a result of it is such an vital a part of my on a regular basis expertise, together with my have to do work on myself.

After the 2016 election, I used to be so offended in regards to the rights of individuals being taken away and the large shift in insurance policies within the US authorities, and I began writing about it. I used to be like “I do not care what anyone says, that is too vital.” I really feel prefer it looks as if all people does that now, however I used to be one among only a few artists at first who was keen to only actually put her neck on the market. So, I began speaking about stuff. I began writing about it. Then, it simply form of turned one thing I used to be recognized for, and I began getting requested to design issues for non-profit organizations and for various marches and initiatives. I began elevating cash by way of that work and drawing consideration to totally different causes. I began actually loving that work, and it turned a extremely vital a part of my voice and my id. Then, within the final 12 months, issues have been so wack that it is simply instances 10 now. Now, I can not think about ever going again.

It is so vital to me personally, and it is so vital for the world, that I really feel like I’ve a accountability. Individuals typically say … “We’re not excited about your politics, we simply need your fairly footage,” mainly. I needed to write a pair very intense posts about why I used to be making this work and that lots of people argue that each one artwork is political… what you select to not symbolize is a political assertion in and of itself, in order that I used to be making overtly political work was one factor, however actually, all artwork is political, and that was one thing that I did not essentially even understand till the final 5 years.

I get loads of satisfaction and pleasure from it. I imply, the stuff we’re coping with is not joyful, however making work to shift folks’s attitudes or give folks one thing to be hopeful about feels vital to me.

Anj: Now shifting gears to your new youngsters’s ebook! Authored by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by you, inform us what impressed it and what the expertise was like. Discuss to us extra about “Round.”

Lisa: I feel it was probably the most enjoyable illustration venture I’ve ever labored on and one of many causes it was enjoyable is as a result of I wasn’t connected to the phrases. I liked the textual content within the ebook however the beauty of image books is that the textual content is often actually easy.

On this ebook specifically, there is a narrative, however it’s fairly unfastened. It is not like there are characters. I imply, some characters emerge a bit of bit within the ebook within the type of a number of the animals reappearing, however it was a very easy place to begin as a result of I may actually be me, and in addition honor the textual content within the ebook.

Spherical… I wish to name it a lyrical poem all about spherical issues that we discover out on the planet. Some are actually spherical and a few are extra … properly, not figuratively spherical, however much less completely spherical. It is all in nature, and that is one of many issues I really like to attract are animals and vegetation. They needed me to be me. In truth, the quilt is like this type of huge explosion of spherical issues organized actually shut collectively. It is like one thing I might draw for enjoyable, and it really was impressed by some drawings I had manufactured from issues form of drawn actually shut collectively and in an association. And I really like the quilt a lot. Covers are often the factor I hate most a couple of ebook, which sucks as a result of it is the factor that individuals see on the shelf, and it causes them to open it or not, so I am hoping it has a superb shelf life as a result of the quilt is so colourful.

Anj: If you’re feeling burnt out, otherwise you’re beginning a venture, what are ways in which you reset? What are issues that give you the results you want, issues that you may suggest to others?

Lisa: Once I can, the very very first thing I do is take a break. That is not all the time potential, as you realize from any person who runs a enterprise. Typically, you simply have to point out up and do the work, even when you do not really feel prefer it, and there is a certain quantity of grit concerned. So, generally, I simply plow by way of, drive myself to do it, after which I really feel higher when it is achieved. If I am not engaged on any shopper tasks or shopper tasks which have quick deadlines, I give myself this passcard. “You do not have to submit something on social media, you need not make any new work proper now. Should you do not feel prefer it, do not do something, simply go learn a ebook, go take a hike, buy groceries,” which is, after all, tougher now besides doing it on-line due to the pandemic, however go do one thing else and provides your self permission to not be productive and to form of give your self a relaxation.

Then, throughout that relaxation time, what I will typically do is form of dive into inspiration. I’m going down a Pinterest rabbit gap or I’m going to Powell’s Books in Portland and plant myself in some aisle that has books about one thing I am excited about. Not essentially artwork books, perhaps historical past books, image books, or no matter, and that may generally assist me form of get excited a couple of new path. Typically, I simply go to my studio and fiddle with clay. I’ve a kiln. It is not one thing I am recognized for, however I do form of make and promote ceramics a bit of bit. It is form of my enjoyable getting my palms soiled experimental low-pressure nothing rarely will get placed on Instagram, it is simply form of this enjoyable factor that I do.

I additionally love to stitch. Quilting is a kind of issues that is so simple to me. Elements of the method take some creativity, however as soon as it is pieced, I can simply sit there and sew and watch Netflix. So, I feel taking breaks, permitting your self to go down rabbit holes of recent inspiration that is going to wake you up and lightweight you up a bit of bit. Within the outdated days, earlier than the pandemic, I might go to museums even, or buy groceries in my favourite shops.

Then, the mixture of a break, accumulating inspiration, perhaps getting my palms soiled with some work that is a bit of bit extra tactile and rather less cerebral, finally, I form of am in a position to work by way of blocks, however they occur to everybody, particularly once they’re burned out. Even while you’re not burned out on artwork, perhaps you are burned out in your children, the enterprise half, your relationship, or some difficulty you are having with a member of the family.

Making artwork in instances of stress is like making an attempt to run in humidity. You are able to do it, however it feels so exhausting and uncomfortable. We have all been, within the final 12 months, on this actually bizarre time of stress, and I feel some persons are stunned that they are depressed and anxious, and so they cannot make artwork. It is utterly regular. Creativity requires a specific amount of rest and letting go, and that is actually arduous when there are such a lot of issues on the planet which are so arduous to wrap your head round.