Sunrise in Sebastian Drawing

Lisa Rose | Discovering Joy. It’s easy to get stuck in schedules and routines and forget to search for the new, exciting, and beautiful things that bring us joy. For artist Lisa Rose, the search never stops. Even after decades of running a successful business, she allowed herself to discover a new and unexpected path: painting. Rose was born on Long Island, where she lived with her family until it was time for her to leave for college. Her only connection to art while she was growing up was an aunt who was a commercial artist, so Rose never tried her hand at painting, but an innate sense of creativity and style drove her into a career in interior design. She studied Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell University in the Human Ecology Program, earning her degree in 1971. For 30 years, Rose dedicated herself to her interior design business, Aubergine Interiors. Then, at 67, she laid pastel to paper and immediately fell in love. “I had no idea my entire life that I could paint,” she emphasizes. She took her extensive experience in interior design and used it as a starting point for creating stunning compositions in two dimensions. Since then, the artist has taken many workshops locally and overseas in Europe. She knows the importance of feedback and continuing education, so she still attends weekly studio time with her first instructor, always working to improve every aspect of her art. Whether in pastel or oil, each of Rose’s paintings is deeply influenced by her endless hours of technical training. Some of her key influences in the art world include Teresa Saia, Jeanne Rosier Smith, and William McCarthy. The other forces that drive her work are the wonders of nature and her fascination with color. “I was initially inspired by the lusciousness of a pastel box filled with fantastic colors,” she says. This fascination is clear in the vibrancy of her work. She is known as a colorist, and viewers rave about her use of color. When receiving compliments regarding her use of color, she always replies, "It's just nature.” For Rose, the world is rich in unexpected shades, and she loves showing people the abundant beauty that can be so easy to miss. Rose has received wide recognition for her technical mastery and incredible color sense. In 2019, she won the first place award for pastels in the Cultural Council’s Celebrate and Create event.