Local artist to have solo show in Burnsville

Abstract painter and Longfellow resident, Lisa Anderson, experiences many emotions when she creates a new piece of work. “As layers, colors, and shapes take form, I experience love, hate, awe, frustration, anxiety, obsession, and finally, satisfaction and completion.”

Anderson, who is preparing for her largest exhibit (40 to 50 paintings) to date, will be showing her work at the Ames Center in Burnsville, beginning on Wed., May 13 and running through Sun., June 14. The show, titled “Committed,” will feature many of Anderson’s most recent works. The gallery will be closed May 14-16. An artist’s reception will be held on Sat., June 6, 6-8pm at the Ames Center.

Anderson talks with enthusiasm about her passion for painting, “I am happiest when standing in my studio, brush in hand about to start a new piece,” she said, “those first few brush strokes are so exciting and full of hope.” She readily admits to not loving everything she paints but describes it this way, “sometimes it seems I’ve simply liberated an idea, the resulting paintings, are for me, symbols of life’s elements.”

Since earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and sculpture from Minnesota State University in Mankato, Anderson has exhibited her work at numerous Minnesota venues including the Conkling Gallery and Carnegie Art Center in Mankato. More recently, she has had shows at Gallery 360 in Minneapolis, Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault and the Owatonna and Waseca Art Centers. Anderson also teaches abstract painting classes at the Bloomington Theatre and Art Center.

Anderson’s painting style has been greatly influenced by the likes of mid-twentieth century painters such as Mark Rothko, Robert Rauschenberg and Helen Frankenthaler. “ My primary medium is acrylic paint on canvas, accented with oil pastels and the occasional strip of masking tape or whatever else I find that has an interesting texture,” Anderson said. She describes her personal style this way, “I’m very interested in color relationships, implied texture and ambiguity of layers, I have always paid attention to the mechanics of putting paint onto canvas and it has been of great interest to me.”

The Ames Center is open Mon.-Fri. from 9am-5pm, Sat. from 10am-2pm and Sun. noon to 4pm. The gallery is located at 12600 Nicollet Ave. in Burnsville.

Follow Anderson on the web at: www.lisaandersonpaintings.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LisaAndersonPaintings.