NBC Bay Area picks up Badass Women Challenge story!

In the whirlwind week before the Bold Audacious Daring Women Painting workshop, I got front page coverage in my local newspaper, Half Moon Bay Review, followed by video coverage by NBC Bay Area!

Here is the link to the local piece, and a look at the coverage in the print edition:

 

And here is the link to the video and story created by NBC Bay Area:

Photo by Rebecca Greenway, NBC Bay Area.

The exhibition is on display at Bamboo hair + body in Half Moon Bay, through May 13, 2017. For more on the Badass Women Portraits project, visit this project link.

Painting workshop at New Leaf Classroom in Half Moon Bay!

In partnership with New Leaf, as a gift to the community, artist and facilitator Lisa Chu will present an afternoon of empowerment through art and story, based on her ongoing solo exhibition, Badass Women Portraits, at Bamboo hair + body. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with the inspirational qualities of B.A.D.A.S.S. (Bold, Audacious, Daring, Authentic, Strong, Sassy) Women from throughout history and around the world. You will choose a B.A.D.A.S.S. Woman who inspires you, and bring her photo, as well as one inspirational quote from her. From this launching point, the creative process takes over. Using paint, collage, and mixed media, we will enter our own Bold, Audacious, and Daring space to create an image that reflects a B.A.D.A.S.S. expression of ourselves and tribute to an inspiring woman.

Please note: this is not a “how to paint” class, and there will be very little to no technique discussed in this class. However, each participant will leave with a greater awareness of their own creativity, and an experience of making art based on the inspiration of the B.A.D.A.S.S. woman chosen.

What to bring: a photo of a B.A.D.A.S.S. woman of your choice from throughout history and around the world, a quote (optional) spoken or written by your B.A.D.A.S.S. woman, any special non-toxic art supplies or papers you would like to use (optional), a smock or clothes you don’t mind getting paint on

What’s provided: snacks courtesy of New Leaf, acrylic paint, brushes, disposable palettes, ready-to-hang surface for your art making, collage materials, assorted mixed media

When: Sunday, April 2, 2017, 2pm to 5pm

Where: New Leaf Community Classroom (next door to New Leaf Market)

146-A San Mateo Rd, Half Moon Bay, CA

$25 per person, pre-registration required – includes materials and snacks

REGISTER HERE

Before and After: Gettysburg-inspired Community Quilt in Half Moon Bay

Today was finally “Uninstall Day” for my Gettysburg in 2016 installation at Half Moon Bay Library. It had been extended by two weeks, and I was excited to see how FULL the jar of fabric squares was today. Visitors were invited to write their responses to the excerpt from Lincoln’s Gettysburg address presented on a muslin painted panel above them.

And now, my work is to make these squares into a community quilt of our own words, in 2016, resonating with Lincoln’s ideas in the present moment. I have some sewing to do!

Gettysburg 2016 Limited Edition Notecards Now Available!

I’m pleased to release this series of eight designs, each created on location in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during my September 2016 artist residency there.

These cards will be available for a limited time only on this site, so you are encouraged to place your orders as soon as you can.

Each folded card is blank inside, and is printed on 150-pound, luxurious, eco-friendly bamboo paper, with a watercolor paper envelope. The paper is uncoated, so will accept inks without smudging. Card dimensions: 5″ by 7″.

All cards are individually wrapped in a clear sleeve.

Set of 4 cards (any single design): $19.99

Set of 8 cards (variety pack with one of each design, or single design): $35.99

USPS Priority Mail Shipping: $5.95

Sales Tax (California shipping addresses only): 9.5%

International shipping — please contact me with your shipping address for an estimate on shipping costs

ORDER NOW

Design options:

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8-pack assorted designs (one of each design in the set): $35.99

Set of 8 assorted designs
Set of 8 cards – one of each design
ORDER NOW

Thoughts on the power of our stories

death-valley-sketchbook-1

If you’ve followed me on Instagram (@drlisachu), you’ve seen pages from my daily illustrated journal practice called “Before 10am”, which I’ve kept since July 2016…that’s over 150 consecutive days so far! I have kept a written journal for many years of my life, but only recently, in 2013, did I start playing with blank pages of a sketchbook, permitting not only words and sentences to appear on the page, but also colors, lines, shapes, scribbles, collage, and other experimental images. This liberating practice has led me and followed me through the daily routine of home life, to wilderness adventures in several national parks, and everything in between. This one new habit has changed my life by deepening my observations of the world around me, and slowing me down each day to reflect on what I have experienced. It has also given me an object to share with others, and a way of connecting with people around the world via social media.

I just returned from a road trip to Death Valley National Park, where I celebrated my birthday. While there, I learned that “Timbisha” is the Shoshone name for their home (which we call “Death Valley”). The word “Timbisha” refers to the sacred red color of the rocks in the area, and symbolizes the future, or the way forward. As Park Ranger Alexandra, a geographer who led a brief program in one of the colorful canyons in Death Valley, shared various theories on the formation of the canyons, she also said that many of the Shoshone stories of this place are stories she is not allowed to tell. Continue reading

Yes! Installation Day for “Gettysburg in 2016” at Half Moon Bay Library

Here’s to stretching beyond our comfort zones.

This morning I installed the pieces of my exhibit at Half Moon Bay Library for my “Gettysburg in 2016” show. This involved several firsts for me.

  1. I have never worked on this large a scale (36 inches by 72 inches) before.
  2. I have never used fabric and yarn in my work before.
  3. I have never hung a fabric work from the ceiling before.
  4. I have never exhibited pages from my sketchbook on a wall before.
  5. I have never tried making giclee prints of my sketchbook pages and mounting them on panels for wall hanging.
  6. I have never tried an interactive art piece using fabric before.

I am making this list mostly to remind myself to celebrate today. Everything looks beautiful! I finished installing in about three hours. I managed to use a ten-foot ladder safely. Continue reading