Lisa Britton received her BFA in painting from Arizona State University. After graduation, she spent several months in Berlin, Germany, where she interned for photographer Isabelle Graeff and painter Ross Walker, in addition to co-curating a pop-up exhibition. She has shown work in the United States and Germany. Her work explores themes such as animal rights, disclosure and identity in social media, as well as notions of beauty and decay. Britton, along with friend and artist Alejandra Orozco, are creators of the blog, Pretty Girls Making Cool Shit, which features multiple female artists weekly; aiming to be fun and informative while creating a community of support and empowerment for female artists. She currently lives and works in Seattle, Washington.
Published on February 22nd 2021. Artist responses collected in months previous.
What hurdles have you overcome this year and how have they affected your art practice?
I started a new job in February of 2020! Besides the learning curve of starting in a new industry, a new finding opportunity had been challenging. I had been working in retail management for years and felt trapped. I had gone on a lot of interviews and would make it to round 3 or 4 of job interviews and not get the job. My professional background was the biggest hurdle I overcame, and I know a lot of people, artists and non artists, in a similar situation being frustrated and unhappy at work and struggling to find their next opportunity. I can understand how someone might think this wouldn't affect my art practice, but having a regular schedule and regular days off has increased my overall quality of life, and made it easier to find time to make art, or research, or work on my art blog. Not to mention the benefits of having a regular sleep schedule!
How has your art practice been affected by the pandemic?
My art practice has not been very affected. I rely on a full time non art related job for a lot of my income. When Washington's shelter in place went in effect I worked from home for 3 months and had more time for art. The pandemic has helped me shift my mindset. It is easy to feel down on yourself for not making art full time or for not having an art related day job. It's easy to see an artist on Instagram who is a full time artist and be jealous of their success. When states first started having stay home orders, many artists I admire started posting about how due to the pandemic they can't pay rent, have no money, and asking for financial support. I was shocked! They were making art full time, and selling work in galleries! The shut down had barely started and they had already ran out of money?! Takeaway: Be thankful for what you have. Things aren't always as they seem. I mean no disrespect to anyone in that situation. I just mean it was eye opening for me to see.
What support systems have you put in place to help keep your practice thriving amidst these unforeseeable circumstances?
Trying to keep to some kind of schedule and having realistic expectations of myself. While I have not been as dedicated as I should be; I have had success with giving myself a goal or deadline, like “I will have two small paintings done by the end of next week.” Even if I don’t have the paintings in question one hundred percent completed, I will have likely done more than I would have otherwise. It is definitely hard to get motivated right now, and while that’s worth acknowledging, life is still going to go on. Like I mentioned earlier, being realistic with my expectations is important. Obviously it is great to be productive and be better than you were yesterday, but most adult have other responsibilities that need tended to in addition to maintaining your art practice. Sometimes you need to focus on the rest of your life. Productivity aside, maintaining your friendships when you can’t spend time together in person is something that has helped me stay focused! One of my friends and I have had regular Face Time lunches together during quarantine and it is a nice break during the workday!
What methods do you employ to stay resilient in your art practice? What tips would you recommend to other artists who find staying resilient difficult?
I work on multiple pieces at once so I usually have something to work on, and am able to step away from a piece as well. Being able to take a break and step back can be like looking at it with a fresh set of eyes. I remember a professor in college said something about knowing when to stop is one of the hardest things to learn, while I am no master, it is something I am always improving on. It's ok to take a break from something if you are feeling stuck, it's getting overworked, or you are burnt out. You just need to have a plan for when you will go back. Related to this idea, have things that you do outside of art! It doesn't make you less or an artist to have art as your passion and other interests and hobbies in your life. Be a well rounded person and that will help you come back to art and inspire your practice.
What have you learned about yourself as an artist this year?
I have been trying some different approached and techniques with my work this year and trying to take more risks. Although the work has some similar imagery and slight similar themes, it is more developed, than what I was doing before with an overall different tone and narrative. I had been making stylized animal portraits of animals exploited by humans, usually with an atmospheric, abstract background. I have began focusing on rabbits and the environment around them. The rabbits in this series are often in an imagined space. Something different that I am experiencing lately, is that I have started a new piece, looked at it, and confidently said "I like this!" I really enjoy the work I am making right now. In the past, I have liked work only after I had made it and spent time away from it. This is a whole new experience for me! I look forward to continuing this trend and seeing what kind of art and opportunities arise from it!
What hurdles have you overcome this year and how have they affected your art practice?
I started a new job in February of 2020! Besides the learning curve of starting in a new industry, a new finding opportunity had been challenging. I had been working in retail management for years and felt trapped. I had gone on a lot of interviews and would make it to round 3 or 4 of job interviews and not get the job. My professional background was the biggest hurdle I overcame, and I know a lot of people, artists and non artists, in a similar situation being frustrated and unhappy at work and struggling to find their next opportunity. I can understand how someone might think this wouldn't affect my art practice, but having a regular schedule and regular days off has increased my overall quality of life, and made it easier to find time to make art, or research, or work on my art blog. Not to mention the benefits of having a regular sleep schedule!
How has your art practice been affected by the pandemic?
My art practice has not been very affected. I rely on a full time non art related job for a lot of my income. When Washington's shelter in place went in effect I worked from home for 3 months and had more time for art. The pandemic has helped me shift my mindset. It is easy to feel down on yourself for not making art full time or for not having an art related day job. It's easy to see an artist on Instagram who is a full time artist and be jealous of their success. When states first started having stay home orders, many artists I admire started posting about how due to the pandemic they can't pay rent, have no money, and asking for financial support. I was shocked! They were making art full time, and selling work in galleries! The shut down had barely started and they had already ran out of money?! Takeaway: Be thankful for what you have. Things aren't always as they seem. I mean no disrespect to anyone in that situation. I just mean it was eye opening for me to see.
What support systems have you put in place to help keep your practice thriving amidst these unforeseeable circumstances?
Trying to keep to some kind of schedule and having realistic expectations of myself. While I have not been as dedicated as I should be; I have had success with giving myself a goal or deadline, like “I will have two small paintings done by the end of next week.” Even if I don’t have the paintings in question one hundred percent completed, I will have likely done more than I would have otherwise. It is definitely hard to get motivated right now, and while that’s worth acknowledging, life is still going to go on. Like I mentioned earlier, being realistic with my expectations is important. Obviously it is great to be productive and be better than you were yesterday, but most adult have other responsibilities that need tended to in addition to maintaining your art practice. Sometimes you need to focus on the rest of your life. Productivity aside, maintaining your friendships when you can’t spend time together in person is something that has helped me stay focused! One of my friends and I have had regular Face Time lunches together during quarantine and it is a nice break during the workday!
What methods do you employ to stay resilient in your art practice? What tips would you recommend to other artists who find staying resilient difficult?
I work on multiple pieces at once so I usually have something to work on, and am able to step away from a piece as well. Being able to take a break and step back can be like looking at it with a fresh set of eyes. I remember a professor in college said something about knowing when to stop is one of the hardest things to learn, while I am no master, it is something I am always improving on. It's ok to take a break from something if you are feeling stuck, it's getting overworked, or you are burnt out. You just need to have a plan for when you will go back. Related to this idea, have things that you do outside of art! It doesn't make you less or an artist to have art as your passion and other interests and hobbies in your life. Be a well rounded person and that will help you come back to art and inspire your practice.
What have you learned about yourself as an artist this year?
I have been trying some different approached and techniques with my work this year and trying to take more risks. Although the work has some similar imagery and slight similar themes, it is more developed, than what I was doing before with an overall different tone and narrative. I had been making stylized animal portraits of animals exploited by humans, usually with an atmospheric, abstract background. I have began focusing on rabbits and the environment around them. The rabbits in this series are often in an imagined space. Something different that I am experiencing lately, is that I have started a new piece, looked at it, and confidently said "I like this!" I really enjoy the work I am making right now. In the past, I have liked work only after I had made it and spent time away from it. This is a whole new experience for me! I look forward to continuing this trend and seeing what kind of art and opportunities arise from it!
Find Lisa Britton on Instagram