Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Lindstrom. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Liz Lindstrom, born in Miniola, Texas and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, has always been surrounded by beautiful art. Her father, Bart Lindstrom, a nationally-renowned portrait artist, began sharing the art world with Lindstrom at a young age. “My father would let me sit and watch while he worked on a painting, or he gave me projects to do on my own. It’s amazing how much I was able to learn by just being around him.”
The desire to be an artist began in high school as she contemplated her future upon graduation. “I knew I wanted to create things and show life through my eyes. Every school I considered and every program I researched could not compare to what my father could give me,” Lindstrom says. “I decided to stay in Chattanooga and apprentice under my father. It is the most important thing I’ve ever done as an artist.” After three semesters of apprenticeship with Bart Lindstrom and four months abroad, Lindstrom found her niche in figurative art. “During my time in Europe, I captured more beautiful towns, rivers, and coastlines than could be appreciated. However, when back in the studio, the people I met along the way became the only subject I was interested in pursuing. That’s when I realized the direction my art was to take.”
Lindstrom’s inspiration for her artwork and portraiture comes from her appreciation of the human spirit and her passion for ballet. This enthusiasm stems from a love ofpeople and what makes them unique, years of dance lessons and a great admiration of Degas. Whether in portraiture or her works of the ballet, Lindstrom’s ambition is to capture a moment in time that deserves to be noted. The very process of creation is a driving force behind her art. “I love making something out of nothing,” says Lindstrom. “Where there was once blank canvas, there is now a figure, hands, light and shadow, emotion, movement, and personality.”
When asked to describe her work, Lindstrom says, “Creating is natural for me, so my art has a very unhurried, comfortable feel. I love to show others how I see the world, allowing them to see through my eyes. I want the viewer to be amazed at the beauty of human life and with whom we are surrounded.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest challenge was learning how to make my art into a business. I had a leg up by working with my dad and seeing how he supported our family as a full time artist. But experiencing/watching and doing are two different things. So much about running your own business has to be through trial and error and I quickly learned that beating myself up for my mistakes was a disservice to my art. As my business grew, so did my knowledge. I made a point to ask any woman in a similar field what had impacted them most when they were building their careers and then I applied as much of their advice to my own work as I could. Learning how to value my work and my time was also a steep learning curve. Once I realized that others could only value me as much as I value myself, I began a whole new chapter with my work.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have been creating commissioned portraits for the past 20 years. Learning how to capture my subjects with my charcoals, pastels, and oil paints is only half of the abilities I needed as a portrait artist. I also needed a strong sense of self to make sure my voice was heard in my work and to be able to fully see others and what their portrait should be about. I find that the better I know myself, the better I can do my job in understanding the individuals I capture in my work. I have accomplished my artistic abilities through countless miles of canvas, paper, and over 1,000 commissions. I embrace any artwork that needs to be restarted or changed because it teaches me so much. I have also gotten to know myself through life experience; making mistakes in both art and life, building and maintaining a healthy marriage with my husband of 18 years, moving and making a home in Phoenix, Arizona, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas, raising three children, and investing in my friendships and community. Every time I step to the easel to paint or draw, the experiences of my life are there with me.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
In the past 20 years of creating commissioned portraits I only found 4 subjects that I could not connect with. I’m naturally good at reading people and that has been of value in my line of work.
Contact Info:
- Email: lizlindstromartist@gmail.com
- Website: lizlindstom.com
- Instagram: Artist Liz Lindstrom
- Facebook: Liz Lindstrom McGehee
