Wild Tomato Arts by Dr. Lisa Chu

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Painting workshop at New Leaf Classroom in Half Moon Bay!

In partnership with New Leaf, as a gift to the community, artist and facilitator Lisa Chu will present an afternoon of empowerment through art and story, based on her ongoing solo exhibition, Badass Women Portraits, at Bamboo hair + body. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with the inspirational qualities of B.A.D.A.S.S. (Bold, Audacious, Daring, Authentic, Strong, Sassy) Women from…

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Announcing Opening Reception for Badass Women Portraits show in Half Moon Bay! Join me for the Opening Reception of my solo exhibition, "Badass Women Portraits", at Bamboo hair + body in Half Moon Bay, February 25, 2017, 6pm to 8pm. The exhibit remains on display through May 2017.

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Today was finally “Uninstall Day” for my Gettysburg in 2016 installation at Half Moon Bay Library. It had been extended by two weeks, and I was excited to see how FULL the jar of fabric squares was today. Visitors were invited to write their responses to the excerpt from Lincoln’s Gettysburg address presented on a muslin painted panel above them.

And now, my work is to make these squares into a community quilt of our own words, in 2016, resonating with Lincoln’s ideas in the present moment. I have some sewing to do!

“The Unfinished Work” – words excerpted from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Community Quilt prompts

Assorted responses to Community Quilt

Before…

Before and After: Gettysburg-inspired Community Quilt in Half Moon Bay Today was finally "Uninstall Day" for my Gettysburg in 2016 installation at Half Moon Bay Library. It had been extended by two weeks, and I was excited to see how FULL the jar of fabric squares was today.

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Before 10am, December 21, 2016: #Chickentrauma

Before 10am, December 21, 2016: #Chickentrauma

To see more daily art, follow me on Instagram or like my Facebook page. To become a patron of my art with a monthly donation, visit my Patreon page.    

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In September 2016, I traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for a 40-day self-created artist residency, focused on Gettysburg National Park and surrounding Civil War battlefields and historical sites. While there, I rented a studio from local hosts, whose home was located on a picturesque kiwi berry farm less than one mile from Little Round Top.

I sketched every day, both in my “Before 10am” illustrated journal, and using watercolor and acrylic mixed media. On day twenty-four of my residency, I presented a works-in-progress show and reception for a gathering of Gettysburg residents at my host’s home.

I visited Rolling Acres Elementary School in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, and read my picture book, Too Late For Pie, to a classroom of third graders.

Destination Gettysburg created this video to add to their #MyGettysburg collection of personal stories of visitor experiences.

Upon returning, I created an installation for the Half Moon Bay Library, which included thirteen panels from my “Before 10am” illustrated journal, a yarn and muslin map inspired by the Elliott Map of the Battlefield of Gettysburg, and a community quilt piece entitled, “The Unfinished Work”, prompting viewers to respond to quoted words from Lincoln’s Gettysburg address by writing on painted fabric squares, which will be sewn into a quilt of new quotations. In addition, I delivered an artist talk and an illustrated journaling workshop at the library, both free and open to the public.

The artist residency was inspired by my interest in bringing my art practice and observations together with my love of National Parks, and to revisit the significance of Gettysburg and the American Civil War in light of the current events of 2016. This project is an evolving body of work continuing to unfold each day!

Most recently, I released a series of eight designs of watercolor and ink sketches created in Gettysburg, offered as 5″x7″ notecards. They are available for purchase at my online store.

Next steps for this project:

Incorporate content from Gettysburg illustrated journals and observations from my visits to sites in Virginia, including Tredegar Iron Works, the White House of the Confederacy, the American Civil War Museum, Appomattox, the Museum of the Confederacy, and Monticello, into an illustrated book documenting my discoveries and questions from this trip. Pursue publication of this book.

Create a self-published picture book for the Rolling Acres 3rd grade class by May 2017 (they asked, and I said yes!)

Pursue additional public library installations of the Gettysburg work

Plan my return trip to exhibit in Gettysburg

If you would like to support my work by becoming a patron, please visit my Patreon page, where you can pledge $1-$10 per month. Every dollar makes a difference and helps me to continue creating and sharing my projects!

Link to become a patron of my art: http://patreon.com/lisachu

Two textile pieces installed above reception table at Half Moon Bay Library

The piece on the right will be an interactive piece, with viewers invited to write on fabric squares, which will be stitched onto the work, entitled, “Unfinished Work”.

Giclee prints of my “Before 10am” illustrated journal pages, mounted on panel, 8″x10″ each.

#2016-002 Honey Locust no text

#2016-006 Schmucker House

#2016-007 Peach Orchard fence with plants

#2016-005 Klingel House study

#2016-003 John Weikert barn

#2016-001 Honey Locust with text

#2016-004 Sunrise over Trostle Farm

#2016-008 Excelsior Field fence

Set of 8 assorted cards, individually wrapped and presented with gift ribbon

Gettysburg in 2016 Project In September 2016, I traveled to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for a 40-day self-created artist residency, focused on Gettysburg National Park and surrounding Civil War battlefields and historical sites.

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I’m pleased to release this series of eight designs, each created on location in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during my September 2016 artist residency there.

These cards will be available for a limited time only on this site, so you are encouraged to place your orders as soon as you can.

Each folded card is blank inside, and is printed on 150-pound, luxurious, eco-friendly bamboo paper, with a watercolor paper envelope. The paper is uncoated, so will accept inks without smudging. Card dimensions: 5″ by 7″.

All cards are individually wrapped in a clear sleeve.

Set of 4 cards (any single design): $19.99

Set of 8 cards (variety pack with one of each design, or single design): $35.99

USPS Priority Mail Shipping: $5.95

Sales Tax (California shipping addresses only): 9.5%

International shipping — please contact me with your shipping address for an estimate on shipping costs

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Design options:

#2016-001 Honey Locust with text

#2016-002 Honey Locust no text

#2016-003 John Weikert barn

#2016-004 Sunrise over Trostle Farm

#2016-005 Klingel House study

#2016-006 Schmucker House

#2016-007 Peach Orchard fence with plants

#2016-008 Excelsior Field fence

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8-pack assorted designs (one of each design in the set): $35.99

Set of 8 cards – one of each design

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Gettysburg 2016 Limited Edition Notecards Now Available! I'm pleased to release this series of eight designs, each created on location in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during my September 2016 artist residency there.

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Thoughts on the power of our stories

Thoughts on the power of our stories

If you’ve followed me on Instagram (@drlisachu), you’ve seen pages from my daily illustrated journal practice called “Before 10am”, which I’ve kept since July 2016…that’s over 150 consecutive days so far! I have kept a written journal for many years of my life, but only recently, in 2013, did I start playing with blank pages of a sketchbook, permitting not only words and sentences to appear on…

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Here’s to stretching beyond our comfort zones.

This morning I installed the pieces of my exhibit at Half Moon Bay Library for my “Gettysburg in 2016” show. This involved several firsts for me.

I have never worked on this large a scale (36 inches by 72 inches) before.

I have never used fabric and yarn in my work before.

I have never hung a fabric work from the ceiling before.

I have never exhibited pages from my sketchbook on a wall before.

I have never tried making giclee prints of my sketchbook pages and mounting them on panels for wall hanging.

I have never tried an interactive art piece using fabric before.

I am making this list mostly to remind myself to celebrate today. Everything looks beautiful! I finished installing in about three hours. I managed to use a ten-foot ladder safely.

And bonus: I got to see a class of fifth graders see my Elliott Map textile and yarn piece and interact with it. I love how they revered it, wondering, looking, and thinking before anyone explained what it was. Beauty will do that. Fascination is a powerful learning tool.

As I watched how many of the girls in the class were checking out graphic novels and illustrated books, I came up with the idea of doing an illustrated journal workshop for the kids who come to the library after school. This will happen on December 12, at 3:30pm. I can’t wait to see what they remember before 10am each day!

Two textile pieces installed above reception table at Half Moon Bay Library

The piece on the right, entitled “Unfinished Work”, will be an interactive piece, with viewers invited to write on fabric squares, which will be stitched onto the work.

I am particularly excited about the interactive piece entitled, “Unfinished Work”, which features an excerpt from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, with space on the muslin for attaching additional painted fabric squares. The public will be invited to respond to the quote, by reflecting on the questions, “What is the ‘great task’ before you right now?” and “What is the unfinished work you now dedicate yourself to?”. Viewers can write their own answers on a square, and leave it to be stitched onto the “community quilt” at the end of the installation.

There are a few more details to add to the installation between now and Sunday, November 13, at 4:00, when I give my artist talk and opening reception.

For now, I’m celebrating today’s firsts!

Giclee prints of my “Before 10am” illustrated journal pages, mounted on panel, 8″x10″ each.

More panels.

Yes! Installation Day for “Gettysburg in 2016” at Half Moon Bay Library Here's to stretching beyond our comfort zones. This morning I installed the pieces of my exhibit at Half Moon Bay Library for my "Gettysburg in 2016" show.

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Video of #MyGettysburg by Destination Gettysburg! I really love this video created by Destination Gettysburg where I share my inspiration for spending a month in Gettysburg. I hope you love it too!

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Announcing a new show!

Announcing a new show!

It’s scheduled! I will be creating an installation and visual essay at the Half Moon Bay Library, entitled “Gettysburg in 2016: What does it mean to us today?“. Through whimsical illustrations, mixed media artwork, and visual journals of a traveling artist, viewers are invited to revisit the significance of Gettysburg, the American Civil War, and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address in our current lives…

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In 2015, I wrote and illustrated a story and self-published a paperback edition book called “Too Late For Pie“. I debuted it during my November Open Studio, to a warm reception by all the adults who read it. I read it out loud at an open mic, also filled with adults, to positive reception as well. Due to cash constraints, I only printed a handful of hard copies. At the last minute, I decided to throw two copies in my suitcase for Gettysburg.

While in Pennsylvania, a series of coincidences led to my reading the book to Mrs. Cook’s third grade class at Rolling Acres Elementary School in Littlestown, Pennsylvania. What a fun, lively, engaging discussion we had! Led by Mrs. Cook’s questions, the students came up with several alternate endings, and plenty of ideas about the characters’ backstories that I had not thought about before.

After a second reading, we posed for a class picture, and a few of the girls in the class approached me.

“Will you be writing more books?” one of them asked me.

“Um…should I?” I asked.

“YES YES YES!” they chorused. “And you should send the books to us in the mail!” one of them said, while jumping up and down a little.

“Well, OK! I guess I will be writing more books! But here’s the deal. Will YOU keep writing and make your own books too? And send them to me?” I said.

“Uh huh,” the girls nodded their heads in unison.

None of us were quite sure what we had just gotten ourselves into.

All I know is I have made a promise to an entire class of third graders in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, and it’s time to get working on that next book!

My first classroom reading of “Too Late For Pie” In 2015, I wrote and illustrated a story and self-published a paperback edition book called "

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One of the first trips where I sketched constantly — looking out the car windows, stopping at viewpoints, hiking, eating at local restaurants, waiting at the airport. We landed in Las Vegas, rented an Escape camper van, and visited Zion National Park, Monument Valley, Kasha-Katue Tent Rocks National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, Sedona, and Hoover Dam. Many of these ink sketches were done on 4″x6″ folios of sketchbook paper while riding in a car (or on the shuttle bus at Zion).

Enjoy this journey in images! Someday these will make it into a book.

Southwest National Parks Road Trip 2015 One of the first trips where I sketched constantly -- looking out the car windows, stopping at viewpoints, hiking, eating at local restaurants, waiting at the airport.

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I am BACK from my trip to Gettysburg! I added on a week in Richmond, Virginia, visiting three museums of the Confederacy, Appomattox National Park, and Monticello.

I made a LOT of artwork, and continued my “Before 10am” illustrated journal series every day (which you can always see on Instagram!).

I am busily pulling together all the artwork, scanning, setting up an exhibition and talk schedule, first in Half Moon Bay in November.

In the meantime, here are some previews of my favorite journal pages from the month:

Sneak preview of Gettysburg journal pages! I am BACK from my trip to Gettysburg! I added on a week in Richmond, Virginia, visiting three museums of the Confederacy, Appomattox National Park, and Monticello.

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I'm going to Gettysburg!

I’m going to Gettysburg!

Today, before 10am. Last day at home for awhile. Took a longer than usual walk on the beach…with sand dollars and terns and oceans of open sand, washed clean from last night’s tide. Enjoyed a cup of tea and some toast while I looked at more photos of artifacts and stories from Gettysburg. [Note: I am still not packing for my trip, which is mildly concerning.] Yes, I am headed to Gettysburg…

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Operation: Chick-integration continues… This actually happened!

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Yosemite 2016 Series

In July 2016, I spent 12 days in Yosemite National Park — the first five were wilderness backpacking, and the last seven were spent serving as Assistant Cook for the Yosemite Conservancy Volunteer Work Week in Yosemite Valley. All illustrations or paintings shown below were created on location, each day of my trip. You can read the stories accompanying the sketches in a twelve-part blog series…

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Yosemite Series: Day Twelve

Yosemite Series: Day Twelve

Day 12: Heading Home From Home As a group, we have agreed to meet at Yosemite Lodge (now called “Yosemite Valley Lodge”) for breakfast at eight. We are all up by six thirty, disassembling our tents, folding up our sleeping bags, stuffing things back into our cars. The return to civilization begins. We have six coolers plus about a dozen milk crates to return to the Yosemite Conservancy, filled…

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