Artist Lissa Rankin

Lissa Rankin - Artist Statement

Plain·song ( pleyn-sawng, -song) the unisonous vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times, modal liturgical music; Gregorian chant, any simple and unadorned melody or air.

In the Plainsong series, I embrace the serenity of painting. In the absence of color choice, I find myself becoming one with the process of painting, in its purest state. I began painting this series shortly after the birth of my daughter, the death of my father, a geographical move of my family, and the exciting but difficult decision to retire from my career as an ob/gyn physician. In the midst of the chaos, escaping to my art studio, where I could blanket myself in the tranquility of monochromatic painting, became a welcome haven.

What results is imagery of life and birth, pushing and pulling in opposing directions with gestural lines, simultaneously drawing in and letting go . Abstractly figurative elements suggest family structures, relationship tensions, and dynamic interconnectedness. In some of the art, I deconstruct garments that represent important milestones in my life and recreate them in a painting, giving them new life and helping me to heal the past. As I work with whites, I try to capture the luminosity of light itself, embracing the sensuality inherent to the highlights it suggests- the white light of the sun on a lover’s face, the grayish-white of a moon glow, the dappled light of rippling water in late afternoon.

Marrying encaustic painting, painting with molten beeswax, with painting in white tones seems a natural union. While white invites comparisons to substances in nature- snow, clouds, water, ice, and alabaster, wax, itself a natural substance, enhances the properties of white, adding translucence, depth, and a sense of fragility. The paintings are created using many thin layers of wax, which attract light and refract it, leaving interpretation open to the viewer.

Recently, I have experimented with sculpture for the first time, informing the art with elements from my paintings- the egg shape, the female form, the vessel- to explore working three dimensionally. Over time, my paintings have become increasingly textural, so making the journey to sculpture seems a natural way to grow as an artist.

As I learn to find more balance and resolve conflicts in a more peaceful way, I continue to seek the open doors that lead to greater inspiration and experience. For now, the Plainsong paintings are a way to close off from the world, open my heart to insight and introspection, and gently integrate back into my surroundings in a peaceful way. Through it all, the journey of my life continues, touched with light, brilliant with reflection, airy like a plainsong, an unadorned melody.

Resume

Education

1999 OB/GYN Residency, Northwest University

1995 MD, University of South Florida

1990 BA, Duke University

Exhibitions

Solo:

2008 Lanoue Fine Art, Boston, MA
2007 Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA
2007 Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
2006 LKG Contemporary, Scottsdale, AZ
2006 Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM
2006 Artist’s Colony Gallery, San Diego, CA
2006 Michael J. Wolf Fine Art, San Diego, CA
2006 Desert Art Source, Palm Desert, CA
2006 Artrageous Gallery, San Diego, CA
2006 Basile Gallery, San Diego, CA

Group:

2007 Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, CA
2007 Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2007 Marin Museum of Art, Novato, CA
2007 The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2007 Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
2007 Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
2007 2nd Annual Encaustic Invitational, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2007 Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA
2006 Los Angeles County Museum of Art Sales & Rental Gallery
2005 Susan Street Fine Art, Solana Beach, CA
2005 National Juried Exhibition, Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs, CA
2004 Texas Artists Museum, Port Arthur, TX
2004 Museum of the Living Artist, San Diego, CA
2003 San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA
2003 San Bernardino County Museum of Art, San Bernardino, CA
2003 San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA
2002 San Diego Children’s Museum, San Diego, CA

Awards

2004 Juror’s Choice, Museum of the Living Artist

2002 Juror’s Choice, San Diego Children’s Museum

Collections/Commissions

HerbalifeJane Seymour
Bellagio Hotel
Macy’s
Marriott Desert Springs
Mandalay Bay Resort
Ojai Spa & Resort
Westin Mammoth
Park Avenue Place
Councilman Scott Peters
Sharp Hospital
New York New York, Las Vegas

Publications

2007 Monterey Talks, podcast
2007 Arizona Illustrated on KUAT Channel 6
2007 Homestyle By the Sea Magazine Artist to Watch, Spring
2007 Monterey County Herald
2007 Carmel Pine Cone
2007 Monterey County Weekly
2006 Monterey County Herald “Hot Wax”
2005 Décor & Style Magazine “ A Life in Balance”
2004 “Layers of Life,” Focus/Santa Fe
2003 The Learning Channel
2003 The Discovery Channel

Representation

The Lowe Gallery, Santa Monica/Atlanta

Lanoue Fine Art, Boston

Professional Experience

First National Encaustic Conference speaker, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA
Encaustic Workshops, Hidden Valley Art Center, Carmel Valley, CA
Photography and Encaustic Workshop, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA
Ahead of the Buzz, R&F Juried Professional Workshop



	Lissa Rankin - Artist Statement Plain·song ( pleyn-sawng, -song) the unisonous vocal music used in the Christian church from the earliest times, modal liturgical music; Gregorian chant, any simple and unadorned melody or air. In the Plainsong series, I embrace the serenity of painting. In the absence of color choice, I find myself becoming one with the process of painting, in its purest state. I began painting this series shortly after the birth of my daughter, the death of my father, a geographical move of my family, and the exciting but difficult decision to retire from my career as an ob/gyn physician. In the midst of the chaos, escaping to my art studio, where I could blanket myself in the tranquility of monochromatic painting, became a welcome haven. What results is imagery of life and birth, pushing and pulling in opposing directions with gestural lines, simultaneously drawing in and letting go . Abstractly figurative elements suggest family structures, relationship tensions, and dynamic interconnectedness. In some of the art, I deconstruct garments that represent important milestones in my life and recreate them in a painting, giving them new life and helping me to heal the past. As I work with whites, I try to capture the luminosity of light itself, embracing the sensuality inherent to the highlights it suggests- the white light of the sun on a lover’s face, the grayish-white of a moon glow, the dappled light of rippling water in late afternoon. Marrying encaustic painting, painting with molten beeswax, with painting in white tones seems a natural union. While white invites comparisons to substances in nature- snow, clouds, water, ice, and alabaster, wax, itself a natural substance, enhances the properties of white, adding translucence, depth, and a sense of fragility. The paintings are created using many thin layers of wax, which attract light and refract it, leaving interpretation open to the viewer. Recently, I have experimented with sculpture for the first time, informing the art with elements from my paintings- the egg shape, the female form, the vessel- to explore working three dimensionally. Over time, my paintings have become increasingly textural, so making the journey to sculpture seems a natural way to grow as an artist. As I learn to find more balance and resolve conflicts in a more peaceful way, I continue to seek the open doors that lead to greater inspiration and experience. For now, the Plainsong paintings are a way to close off from the world, open my heart to insight and introspection, and gently integrate back into my surroundings in a peaceful way. Through it all, the journey of my life continues, touched with light, brilliant with reflection, airy like a plainsong, an unadorned melody. Resume Education 1999 OB/GYN Residency, Northwest University 1995 MD, University of South Florida 1990 BA, Duke University Exhibitions Solo: 2008 Lanoue Fine Art, Boston, MA 2007 Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA 2007 Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA 2006 LKG Contemporary, Scottsdale, AZ 2006 Giacobbe-Fritz Fine Arts, Santa Fe, NM 2006 Artist’s Colony Gallery, San Diego, CA 2006 Michael J. Wolf Fine Art, San Diego, CA 2006 Desert Art Source, Palm Desert, CA 2006 Artrageous Gallery, San Diego, CA 2006 Basile Gallery, San Diego, CA Group: 2007 Bryant Street Gallery, Palo Alto, CA 2007 Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2007 Marin Museum of Art, Novato, CA 2007 The Lowe Gallery, Atlanta, GA 2007 Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA 2007 Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA 2007 2nd Annual Encaustic Invitational, Conrad Wilde Gallery, Tucson, AZ 2007 Lauryn Taylor Fine Art, Carmel, CA 2006 Los Angeles County Museum of Art Sales & Rental Gallery 2005 Susan Street Fine Art, Solana Beach, CA 2005 National Juried Exhibition, Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs, CA 2004 Texas Artists Museum, Port Arthur, TX 2004 Museum of the Living Artist, San Diego, CA 2003 San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, CA 2003 San Bernardino County Museum of Art, San Bernardino, CA 2003 San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA 2002 San Diego Children’s Museum, San Diego, CA Awards 2004 Juror’s Choice, Museum of the Living Artist 2002 Juror’s Choice, San Diego Children’s Museum Collections/Commissions HerbalifeJane Seymour Bellagio Hotel Macy’s Marriott Desert Springs Mandalay Bay Resort Ojai Spa & Resort Westin Mammoth Park Avenue Place Councilman Scott Peters Sharp Hospital New York New York, Las Vegas Publications 2007 Monterey Talks, podcast 2007 Arizona Illustrated on KUAT Channel 6 2007 Homestyle By the Sea Magazine Artist to Watch, Spring 2007 Monterey County Herald 2007 Carmel Pine Cone 2007 Monterey County Weekly 2006 Monterey County Herald “Hot Wax” 2005 Décor & Style Magazine “ A Life in Balance” 2004 “Layers of Life,” Focus/Santa Fe 2003 The Learning Channel 2003 The Discovery Channel Representation The Lowe Gallery, Santa Monica/Atlanta Lanoue Fine Art, Boston Professional Experience First National Encaustic Conference speaker, Montserrat College of Art, Beverly, MA Encaustic Workshops, Hidden Valley Art Center, Carmel Valley, CA Photography and Encaustic Workshop, San Diego Art Institute, San Diego, CA Ahead of the Buzz, R&F Juried Professional Workshop





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