Studio Journal Entry 001: Welcome Behind The Easel

If you've found your way here, welcome.

Whether you're a fellow artist, someone searching for a piece that speaks to you, or simply curious about the person behind the paintings, I'm so glad you're here.

When I first picked up a paintbrush, I wasn't setting out to become an artist.

In fact, I painted my very first canvas more than twenty years ago. I wasn't following a carefully crafted business plan or imagining gallery walls with my name on them. I was simply looking for something creative—something that let me quiet my mind, get a little messy, and see where curiosity might lead.

Life eventually grew busier, and painting quietly faded into the background.

But twenty years later, during a season of tremendous change, I found my way back to the easel. What began as a creative outlet slowly became something much bigger.

Canvas after canvas, I found myself chasing movement instead of perfection. I became fascinated by color, texture, and the way a painting could slowly reveal itself over time. More often than not, I begin with only a vague idea of where I'm headed. The rest unfolds through experimentation, patience, and the occasional happy accident.

Those unexpected moments have become some of my favorite parts of painting.

In 2025, life looked very different than I had imagined. Within a relatively short period of time, I lost two jobs and my mom. It was one of those seasons where the ground seemed to shift beneath my feet, and I wasn't entirely sure what came next.

Through it all, I kept coming back to painting.

Not because I was trying to become an artist, but because it was one of the few places where everything became quiet. For a little while, there were no expectations to meet or uncertainties to solve—just color, texture, movement, and the simple joy of creating something that hadn't existed before.

Somewhere in those quiet hours, something unexpected happened.

I didn't just fall in love with painting.

I found my way back to myself.

That journey eventually became LBW Creative Studio—a place where I could share not only finished paintings, but the stories, lessons, and discoveries that happen long before a piece ever reaches a wall.

That's what this journal is all about.

Here you'll find the stories behind each painting, glimpses into my creative process, the lessons I've learned, and the happy little accidents that somehow became my favorite parts of the journey. I'll share what inspired a piece, where it surprised me, and sometimes even what almost sent it back to a blank canvas.

Because I believe art isn't just about the finished painting.

It's about the journey that brought it to life.

I hope these stories help you see not only the paintings, but perhaps a little of your own story reflected in them too.

Welcome behind the easel.

Until next time,

Thanks for spending a few minutes behind the easel with me.

One of my favorite things about abstract art is that no two people experience a painting the same way. If this piece reminds you of a place, a memory, or simply a feeling, then it's already begun a conversation—and I love that.

See you in the studio,

Lisa
LBW Creative Studio

——

One Last Thought Before I Clean My Brushes

"Movement has a way of revealing itself when I stop trying to control the canvas."