Lisa Lockett
As an American contemporary painter, I create evocative portraits, landscapes, and abstract works that explore the emotional depth of human experience. My artistic journey began in childhood, but it wasn’t until after earning a degree in Journalism and Design from the University of Missouri–Columbia and owning a design firm that I returned to painting with purpose. My work is rooted in chiaroscuro—the dramatic use of light and shadow—which I blend with loose, expressive brushwork to create pieces that sit between Realism and Expressionism. I’m drawn to the challenge of capturing fleeting emotions and abstract concepts, transforming them into something tangible and resonant on the canvas. I paint freehand, using both live references and my own photography, allowing the process to remain fluid and instinctive. For me, painting is not just visual—it's a dialogue. Each piece is an emotional exchange, meant to stir memory, feeling, or recognition in the viewer. My practice is ever evolving, shaped by the world around me and the raw, human moments that move me. I approach each painting not with a rigid plan, but with curiosity—trusting the work to reveal itself over time. Ultimately, I aim to create art that invites reflection, evokes emotion, and lingers in the mind long after it's seen.
Storm of Destruction, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36 inches, 2025
