Artist Lisa Whittington may have been born in America, but her African heritage is what fuels her provocative art.
Lisa Whittington is an American-born black artist with multiple degrees and honors in fine art. Among those is a doctorate degree in art education from the University of Georgia. Lisa says she spent many years pretending to be just a spectator and collector because she lacked the courage to showcase her art. But becoming an artist was a destiny she couldn’t escape.
After years of keeping her greatness to herself, she finally found the courage to show her powerful art to the world. This came after her visit to several museums in Paris. There, she became immersed in the works of Vincent Van Gogh and other great artists who inspired her to take action.
Lisa’s work is now shown in prestigious venues, exhibitions, and museums around the United States.
A Beautiful African Heritage
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Motivations behind Lisa’s art
Studying art triggered Lisa’s curiosity regarding the historical exclusion of black art and artists. During her Master’s program, she asked her professor, Bruce Bobick, why she couldn’t find any black artists in the textbooks or in museums. His response to that question set the pace for the amazing artistry she exhibits today.
Subliminal messages that affect society
Lisa was lucky to have supportive teachers from kindergarten throughout graduate school. Her teachers incorporated art into their curriculum all through her years of public schooling. In college, she began to understand the true value of art and the role it played in sustaining history. Lisa says, “Art is not just wall decoration like many people may think, it carries a lot of subliminal messages that affect society.”
She also gives credit to Bruce Bobick, the professor that encouraged her to change the status quo. When it comes to artistry, Lisa draws inspiration from artistic geniuses like VanGogh, Romare Bearden, Pablo Picasso, Charly Palmer (who was her mentor), among others.
{ The Colorful and Raw African Contemporary Art of Theophilus Tetteh }
Artistic style
Lisa describes herself as an abstract expressionist who works in various mediums including mixed media. She works in acrylic, oil, and collage.
A contemporary portrait of a woman of color educating and leading her people to higher ground and elevated spaces.
A legacy of empowerment
As a painter whose works narrate the story of her own African heritage, Lisa hopes to be remembered as an artist who captured the vibrancy and the history of black America.
Based on a movement of the same name, Negritude is an artwork about race, identity, and a celebration of African heritage.
Tips to future artists
“Art takes courage to create and it takes courage to present it to others,” she says. “Be courageous, be yourself. You don’t have to do what other people are doing but follow your own path and trust the artistic process.”
To see Lisa’s latest artwork, visit Saatchi Art >
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What do you think?