Artist Spotlight: Lisa Penz
This month, we asked Artist Partner Lisa Penz to share a glimpse into her creative world. She speaks about bold beginnings, the quiet evolution of a piece, her deep connection to the sea, and the journey of turning emotion into art.
Lisa Penz | Artist Partner
Softened by the Sea
What does your creative process look like from start to finish? Can you walk us through the journey of a recent piece?
“I start with bold and chaotic strokes— a defiant attempt to break the silence of a blank canvas.
Then, I rein it in. There’s a moment where the painting fights back, where it demands to be something else entirely. Layers of icy blues, gold and pearl emerge from my underpainting. My most recent piece began with wild, kinetic marks, but somewhere in the process, it softened—an unintentional homage to the sea’s ability to both crash and soothe”.
What does a typical day look like for you? How do you balance your art with other aspects of your life?
“There’s no balance. I wake up thinking about colour palettes before my first sip of coffee. Mornings are for movement—painting, stretching canvas, making messes. Afternoons are for refinement: photographing work and writing narratives. Evenings? A battle between rest and relentless creativity. I love to walk, work out, and dance. Most nights, I make sure to block out time for a proper dinner. I take these small breaks between painting and return refreshed with a new set of criteria for judging the current piece, and then I refine it the next day. Most other aspects of my life fall behind to the art though.”.
“I am drawn to the sea—not in a passive, postcard way, but in a deep, inherited reverence”.
What inspires your work? Are there particular themes, experiences, or artists that influence your art?
“I am drawn to the sea—not in a passive, postcard way, but in a deep, inherited reverence. My work isn’t about painting the ocean; it’s about capturing the feeling of standing at the shore, where the wind rearranges your thoughts. For me, the horizon symbolizes stability and a sense of "home".
What are some challenges you’ve faced as an artist, and how have you overcome them?
“For years, I had an almost superstitious fear of selling my work. It felt like putting pieces of myself up for auction, and I resisted—hard. I sabotaged opportunities and convinced myself that keeping my art private made it more ‘real’. Then, a voice from within said, "You’re not selling art. You’re selling a feeling." That changed everything”.
How has your art evolved over time? Are there any significant changes in your style or approach?
“I used to think every painting had to scream to be heard. Over time, I realized that power is in restraint”.
Can you share a personal story that significantly impacted your art or artistic journey?
“My father migrated from Vienna to Vancouver with nothing but a suitcase and a single photograph—a faded image of Jericho Beach. That picture became a symbol in our family, proof that a single snapshot could hold the weight of a future yet to be built. I grew up knowing that coastlines weren’t just landscapes; they were promises. My paintings carry that legacy—an innate longing for expansiveness”.