Over time, I have come to realize something seemingly quite simple: that my work reflects my life.  People have often described me as a Renaissance woman, referring to my wide range of interests, especially in the arts and sciences.  Committed to lifelong learning, I first and foremost am an artist, but I also became a competition aerobatic pilot, an EMT, and a registered nurse. Eventually, I always integrate each new interest into my body of work, and this sometimes takes the form of stylistic shifts, new imagery, or multiple series.

Some of my earlier works reflect a personal translation of the physiological experience of aerobatic flying. As an artist, what draws me to aerobatics is the hyper-stimulation of both the visual and somatic senses.  This extreme type of flying requires intense focus and sensory interpretation, relying on the visual inputs (the horizon, for example) and body inputs (like the forces of gravity). Gravity-induced sensations such as seeing stars and graying/blacking out during flight are not uncommon and can be both thrilling and dangerous.  Visually, aerobatics provides stunning new perspectives, and my goal for this body of work is to communicate this multi-sensory, multi-dimensional experience.  These works are comprised of oil paintings, prints, and works on paper.

In the past years, I have focused on two other bodies of work: my commissions for clients, and what I call my studio work, focusing on pattern and mandalas. My fascination with pattern and the decorative arts from other cultures has been at the core of my work for many years, long before flying.  Ornament appeals to me, both as form and as subject. Pattern inspires a meditative state, and mandalas encourage focus and centering. My works on paper suggest intimacy, a slowness, and invite closer inspection. The idea of bringing space into a pattern painting through the landscape is exciting and challenging for me. I love nature and try to evoke the awe and inspiration I feel when I’m immersed in it.

Many of my commission clients are aviators, and all are passionate people who lead interesting lives by definition, because each person is so unique. The commissions are incredibly rewarding experiences, allowing me to develop a rapport with the client. I aim to understand the things they value, and then translate those values into a visual painting. I become the “envisioner” of their story, and this is an honor for me. The commissions are truly an artistic collaboration, reminiscent of a time in history when commissions were the highest form of art.

 Lise Lemeland, 2026