The dreamy acrylic paintings of Lisa Golightly immediately stir up a rush of childhood memories. Foggy, pastel-hued childhood memories of swimming, climbing, and daydreaming. Lisa majored in photography at the University of Arizona, but eventually found her way to painting. Apparently she had always been intimidated by it, but clearly (and thankfully) she found her way past that! Her subject matter comes from her own memory, and also from the memories that she is watching her own children create. Her Etsy shop and website are known by the name “Kiki and Polly”—which was inspired by her daughter’s love of a bird she named Kiki, and for her daughter’s imaginary friend Polly. Polly no longer visits as she once did, but Lisa keeps the spirit of childhood, wonder, and imagination alive in her Portland, Oregon, home studio.
JC—Describe the first moment that you truly felt like an artist.
LG—It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment. I remember the first few times I introduced myself as an “artist” at parties or dinners (somehow that seemed like a huge thing, being able to say it to strangers), but really “feeling” like an artist was more of a slow build that came from making work I was really proud of.
JC—Why are you an artist?
LG—I am an artist because I love to create. Even if I wasn’t making a living at it, I would still be painting. I have a very clear memory of being a child and thinking that being an artist was the ultimate thing to do with your life. A lot of kids might think being a doctor or astronaut would be the dream profession, but for me it was always an artist.
JC—What inspires your work?
LG—The concept for most of my work comes from my life, memory, and then the circle of watching the same sort of memory being created in my kids. The physicality of my work can be inspired by even a color combination that gets my heart beating faster. I spend a good amount of time on my computer, but sometimes that can backfire into overload. So I try to not live on the Internet.
JC—Do you have a trick you use if you’re having trouble with a painting?
LG—I tend to remove or simplify and then rebuild a painting if it is giving me trouble. A lot of times the pieces that give me the most trouble are the ones I’m happiest with in the end.
JC—Would you ever give up on a painting, or do you always push yourself through?
LG—I’ve done both. Sometimes I lose interest in a painting or just see that it’s not going to be what I thought it was, and we part ways. For me, if it’s truly not working, I’d rather put my energy into a new piece than continue to be frustrated with one that just isn’t working.
JC—Does being a full-time artist fuel or drain your creativity for personal projects?
LG—It definitely fuels it. I get a lot of inspiration when looking around that doesn’t necessarily relate to my art, but finds its way into my home. It’s nice to have that space to create just for yourself, or your family, without the pressure of it mattering or being seen by anyone else.
JC—Do you ever equate your self-worth with your artistic successes?
LG—Guilty. I remind myself that I would be doing this regardless of any success or failure.
JC—Are you able to ignore your inner critic?
LG—Well, I try to ignore it. If I’m having a “not great” day painting, for me, stepping away is usually best thing to do. Getting some space, taking a break, and then coming back usually helps me shut down those negative thoughts.
JC—What do you do in order to get through a creative block?
LG—I give myself permission to just make for the sake of making without any thought to the outcome, which can be surprisingly hard. In the past I’ve tried a new medium to sort of get out of my own head. I started creating abstract pieces using fabric dye on paper, and loved it so much that I’ve started working on abstract pieces much more. I realized I’d created these rules for my work, that it had to be a certain thing. Of course, there are no rules in art, but it took pushing my comfort zone to understand that.
JC—How do you feel when you experience the opposite of a creative block—when things are truly flowing?
LG—I think those are the moments you live for as an artist! Getting in that zone where ideas and technique and subject all come together. It’s a rush; I usually crank up the music and enjoy it while it lasts.
JC—What have you learned during your art career that you wish you’d figured out a long time ago?
LG—I’m still figuring things out. I wish I could hear my advice to myself ten years from now! What I would tell my younger self is this: There is no “right” way to make art. The only wrong is in not trying, not doing. Don’t put barriers up that aren’t there—just get to work and make something.
Don’t put barriers up that aren’t there—just get to work and make something.
