ABOUT LISA STEFFENS - Contemporary Fine Artist
Portrait of an Artist - Euan Uglow
Lisa in the studio
Painter & Printmaker
Lisa Steffens was raised in the beauty of the Hudson River Valley of New York. In addition, she spent a fair portion of her life in the United Kingdom. She states, “In some ways I will always to be “betwixt and between,” having an abiding love and kinship for England -- the people, the history, the humor and the beauty... but at the end of the day, I needed to return home.” Once again stateside Lisa immersed in art study and teaching.
Listed in her CV is some of that training. Her most significant formal education is the three years earning an MFA at New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture in NYC, (Class of 2006).
The Monotype Process
Monotypes are an intimate and direct method of printmaking. The artist paints and draws directly on a substrate or plate, adding ink and wiping it away with a selection of materials, producing a variety of textures and tones. The plate is then put through a press to transfer the image to paper. The result is a mirror image of the original painting. Intuition plays a big role in this exciting process as the artist working in reverse cannot know completely what will be revealed when the print is pulled. Unlike other forms of printmaking, Monotypes yield a single result with the possibility of a satisfactory second image that is quite different and paler in value. They are both considered unique, and consequently, the pieces from this process are as precious as any original painting. The immediacy of the monotype process has been a gift for me. A further gift would be to share this beautiful, painterly process with the viewer.
Lisa Steffens work can be found in collections in United States, Britain, The Netherlands and Spain.
You can visit Lisa by appointment in her studio at the Red House Studios and Gallery, 310 W. State St., Black Mountain, NC. Work can also be seen at Marquee-Asheville, Foundry Lane, River Arts District, Asheville, NC
Lisa on location with the group PAPA, Preserving a Picturesque America, on the French Broad in Hot Springs, NC . Photo courtesy of Scott Varn 2021.
Education
New York Studio School of Drawing, Painting & Sculpture, New York, NY, Master of Fine Arts (Painting) 2006
The University of the Arts, Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London, England - Master of Arts 2002
Southampton Institute of Higher Education Southampton, England - Graphic Design Diploma (British nomenclature for 4 year program)
Parsons School of Design New York, NY Foundation Course; Summer in Paris
Elizabeth Seton College New Rochelle, NY Associates Degree Business Administration
Certification
Manhattanville College Purchase, NY
Post-Master’s Certificate in Visual Arts Education 2009 New York State Initial Visual Arts Education Certificate K-12 Florida State Professional Educator’s Certificate K-12
Experience
Career in the arts begins in the 1989 – graphic design and media arts (freelance print designer, plus employment by BBC South TV as lead graphic designer for 12 years). Upon return to the US, teaches drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, design, computer graphics, art history and related subjects to students of all ages (pre-school campers through university MFA majors, up to designing and executing extracurricular art-related programs for senior citizens). Volunteers at community arts non-profits (workshop teaching, gallery/show organizing, administration, etc.).
All through this period to present: freelance work includes graphic design, painting, printmaking. Since 2018, concentrating on works inspired by personal vision in range of media and experimentation. Samples shown/selected exhibitions listed on this site.
Solo Exhibitions
2016 Inner Visions, Raw Space Vero Beach, FL
2015 States of Mind, Hendrick Hudson Library Montrose, NY
2014 Not All Here, Indian River State College Ft Pierce, FL
2010 Interiors, Convent of the Sacred Heart Gallery Greenwich, CT 2007 A Personal Point of View, The Donald Gallery Dobbs Ferry, NY 2005 Recent Work, Flat Iron Gallery Peekskill, NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Appalachian Pastel Society 2023 International Online Exhibition - Breaking Boundaries
Hearts & Minds, Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Black Mountain, NC - Red House Studios & Gallery
2022
Art Auction ’22, CURE 100 at Kino Saito, Verplanck, NY
New York Studio School Juried Alumni Exhibition NY, NY on Artsy.net
Red House Studios & Gallery Group Show Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Black Mountain, NC
Step Out of Stigma, Greenville Center for the Arts Greenville, SC Asheville Printmakers Exhibition, Mars Hill University Mars Hill, SC
2021
New Faces, Upstairs Artspace Gallery Tryon, NC
Red House Studios & Gallery Group Show Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Black Mountain, NC
NC Red House Photographers Black Mountain Center for the Arts, NC
2019
Red House Studios & Gallery Group Show Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Black Mountain, NC
2018
X Marks the Spot - Women of the New York Studio School NY, NY
Red House Studios & Gallery Group Show Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Black Mountain
2017
NYSS Alumni Exhibit, Prince Street Gallery NY, NY -Juror: Stuart Shils
New York Studio School Invitational, Jurors: Elizabeth Harris Gallery, Lesley Heller Workspace, Studio 10, Tibor de Nagy Gallery
Best of the Best, AE Backus Art Gallery, Ft Pierce, FL
2015
Best of the Best, AE Backus Art Gallery, Ft Pierce, FL
2014
Small Works ,Garrison Art Center Garrison, NY, Juror: Marilyn Dintenfass
2007
Paintings, Rutheny’s Brook St Gallery Croton on Hudson, NY
Artists on Location, Garrison Art Center Garrison, NY
Two Woman Show, The Three Pears Gallery Irvington, NY
2006
NYSS MFA Thesis Show, New York Studio School NY, NY
Work from the Island Marathon New York Studio School Governor’s Island, NY
6 @ 39, The Gallery Irvington NY
2005
Small Works Show, Edward Hopper House Nyack, NY
Awards / Notable Events
2023 - Honorable Mention - Appalachian Pastel Society 2023 International Online Exhibition
2022- Second Place – Juried Show – Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League, NC
2020 New York Studio School Alumni Exhibition on Artsy
- https://www.artsy.net/artwork/5edd7438f14ae00010b9a964
2019 Annual Juried Show - Honorable Mention - acrylic portrait - Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League, Black Mountain, NC
2017 - First Place - oil painting - Vero Beach Art Club - Art by the Sea, Vero Beach, FL
2017 - Chosen from NYSS Alumni Show to participate in the fifth edition of the Collectors Show, Grand Rapids, MI - www.collectorsshow.com The Collectors Show, is a biannual exhibition in partnership with ArtPrize, Started by Tyler Loftis.
www.artprize.org Twenty artists are chosen from NYC alongside a curated group of ArtPrize artists. Past exhibited work includes Fairfield Porter, Robert DeNiro Sr, Paul Resika, Alex Katz, Lois Dodd, Philip Pearlstein, Louisa Matthiasdottir, Bob Thompson, Hans Hoffman, and many others
2016 - First and Third Place - monotype - Second Place - monotype - AE Backus Museum of Art
2015 – First Place - The Best of the Best - AE Backus Museum of Art -
2014 - First Place - monotype – Small Works Show – Garrison Art. Center
Affiliations
New York Studio School Alumni Association – Head NC Chapter
Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League
Boom Contemporary Gallery on Artsy.net
Vero Beach Art Club
Asheville Printmakers Group
Marquee Asheville, Foundry Lane, River Arts District
Appalachian Pastel Society
Social Media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.steffens.10
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisasteffens.1/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-steffens-25374a17/
Website: www.lisasteffens.com