I have always loved creating art! As a child I was always drawing (my Mom saved a lot of my artwork, which is super fun to look at now) and I just can’t stop now. About 12 years ago I started taking painting classes. I tried a few different mediums and found that acrylics gave me the bright bold colours that I liked without taking too long to dry. I love the immediacy and versatility of acrylics.
Best Day Ever © Lisa Riehl
Acrylic on Canvas 20 x 20
What really inspires me are the West Coast scenes that I see every day or when I take trips to Tofino or the mountains to ski (Whistler or Mt Washington). I go everywhere with a camera and I’m always taking pictures. I also paint pet portraits. My black lab cross Lucy is the reason I started doing pet portraits: I’d taken so many photos of her that I just had to paint some of them. When people saw them they wanted me to paint their own pet too. I especially love painting really colourful and impressionistic portraits!
Sunrise on Chester © Lisa Riehl
Acrylic on Canvas – 22 x 28
Lately I’ve been experimenting with encaustics – painting with melted beeswax. The beeswax is melted with a small amount of crystallized resin (called damar) to make the wax harder and more durable. It can be tinted with oil paint or used in it’s translucent state. And it’s perfect for mixed media and collage. Working in this medium satisfies my need to experiment – it’s so fun! I have been incorporating my love of crows and birds into these creations.
Art is a release from the day-to-day stressed in my life. When I get into the “zone” of painting, I feel absolutely incredible. Sometimes after a day of painting, I am just so energized that I can’t sleep. I have no shortage of inspiration for my paintings – no artists-block here! My only limiting factor is that I also work a full-time job, so my painting is done mainly on weekends and some evenings. But no matter what, I’ll always have time for some form of creativity in my life.
Image Credits
All Images Are © Lisa Riehl
Lisa Riehl Artist Bio
Lisa Riehl was raised in BC, moving to the Victoria area on Vancouver Island in 2004. Inspired by the dramatic landscapes around her, she has translated her passion for hiking, surfing and her love of nature to canvas. Over the years, Lisa has worked to capture in bold colours her vision of the heart and soul of the West Coast. This is evident in her interpretations of the beaches of Tofino & Sooke, the forests of the West Coast and the mountains of Whistler.
Lisa’s dog Lucy is the inspiration for her Pet Portraits. Lucy has been the subject of many bold and colourful paintings. Each of Lisa’s pet portraits reveal their unique personality. She captures their essence and turns them into cherished works of art.
Lisa is thrilled to have been awarded Associate status (AFCA) with the Federation of Canadian Artists (March 2011).
Blog / Website: The Art of Lisa Riehl
Follow Lisa Riehl on: Facebook
Recent Guest Artist Articles:
- "Listen, I Have Something To Tell You"
- All The Art I Will Never Make
- From My Sketchbook
- When Machines Dream
- Why Did A Bored Call Center Rep Turn Her Art into TikTok Puzzles
Please Share Your Thoughts - Leave A Comment!