Paper Artist Spotlight: Lisa Cirenza

London-based painter and digital artist

“Stanford and Me” depicts Lisa’s arrival at Stanford University as an undergrad. If you look closely, there’s a tiny figure in the archway, an indication of how small she felt upon initially arriving.

As a child, Lisa Cirenza’s parents told her she wasn’t allowed to become an artist. She dutifully attended Stanford University and immersed herself in science and technology, a segment of academia often mislabeled as “left brain” and “unimaginative.” But Lisa was quick to uncover the abundant creativity that lurks within these fields, and began experimenting with digital drawing long before formal tools were widely available.

Lisa’s plan was to study Earth Sciences and French, the French being a ploy to get in the Paris program and study art. During her sophomore year, however, Apple introduced its first desktop computer. She was hooked and became a closet techie, as depicted in “Not Again!”

Today, Lisa lives in London and works as a painter and digital artist. She continuously experiments with the intersection of digital and analog, blending the latest technology with classic art styles from the era of Da Vinci, Raphael, and Constable. She likens Paper on iPad to the 19th century advent of tube paints, which were transforming for impressionism and artists of that era as they allowed painters to instantaneously respond to environments via mobile tools.

“Using the iPad as part of my artistic process allows me to study paintings in depth, including colors, edges, and line-work, without running into the restrictions usually placed on wet, dusty or otherwise non-museum-friendly materials.”

“Rembrandt Study,” from the recent Rembrandt exhibition at the National Gallery.

As part of her artistic process, Lisa often mixes and layers different surfaces and mediums. By mixing and matching digital inks, traditional paints, and photography, she uniquely captures pigments and lights. She’s also known for teaching and conducting work before a live audience, infusing her art with the energy from students and spectators alike.

Lisa’s work will be on display at London’s Balthazart Gallery through June 25th, and art lovers not based in London can get a regular dose of her work via Lisa’s newsletter. In the meantime, enjoy the selection below!

“T’aint’t Easy Being Green,”

“Hellooo??”

“The Market”

“Painting Tubers”