Exploring Nature Through Art: An Interview with Eco-Conscious Abstract Painter Lisa-Marie Price

Portrait of Lisa-Marie Price

Meet Lisa-Marie Price, a UK-based abstract painter whose work explores the intricate relationships between nature, people, and place. Born in 1986, Lisa-Marie uses handmade watercolors crafted from foraged Earth minerals, rejecting commercial paints to foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Her methodical painterly style draws inspiration from diverse landscapes, infusing her art with the energy of the environments she explores. This approach honors ancient artistic traditions and advocates for authenticity in a consumer-driven world, amplifying the importance of environmental consciousness and the beauty that surrounds us.

Represented by Columbia Road Gallery in East London, Lisa-Marie's work has been showcased at prestigious venues such as the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and The Shard. Featured in publications like Saatchi Art and The Guardian, she has completed private commissions globally. A University of East London Fine Art graduate, Lisa-Marie's art addresses global challenges like climate change and sustainability. Each painting tells a unique story, sparking conversations on urgent environmental issues and inspiring viewers to reflect on their impact on the planet. Join us as we delve into the mind and artistry of Lisa-Marie Price, an artist who deserves a prominent place on your radar.

Image of Lisa-Marie Price working in her studio with self-made pigments. Courtesy of the artist.

Could you share a bit about your background and what initially inspired you to pursue a career as an artist? 

I grew up in a modest 3-bed house in Milton Keynes with my mum and sister and was the first person in my family to go to university. I think I always knew that I wanted to be an artist. I would stay late after school and work away on my projects in the art department. My teacher knew I would be there and allowed me to use the room unsupervised because it was the only place I wanted to be. I would be adamant that I wasn't bothered about all my other grades because all I needed was a good portfolio for university. Looking back, I wish I had paid more attention to other subjects like geography (that would have helped my knowledge of rocks) and maths (we all need to know this being self-employed)! 

After an art foundation year, I studied Fine Art at a university in London. When I left university, ill-equipped to begin my career as a professional artist, I worked through many creative jobs, from mural paintings for arts charities to studio assistants for other artists. I made Woolley jumpers for a car ad and created stop-motion paper cutouts for a marketing agency. I also started my own art business in 2017, where I taught art to children and adults for five years. It was the most influential time guiding me toward becoming a full-time artist and equipping me with the skills and tenacity to strive to be successful. For the past two years, I have been pursuing my practice full-time, and I wake up every day feeling extremely lucky to be doing something I love and cherish.

The image belongs to Lisa-Marie Price.

Can you share with us the story behind your journey into using foraged Earth pigments to create handmade watercolors for your paintings? 

In 2018, I participated in Veganuary, where you go vegan for one month. For anyone who knows me, I am extremely competitive, sometimes to my detriment. So, as you can imagine, I took it very seriously. Previous to this, I had never considered going vegan, despite having vegan friends, and I didn't much care for the idea, to be completely honest. But I thought if I were going to do it, I would do it properly.

I started reading books about the environment, learning about climate change, researching animal welfare in the UK and further afield. I watched documentaries and listened to podcasts. I wanted to know as much as I could to encourage me to finish the one month of Veganuary.

About halfway into the month, I started to feel better than I had in a long time, and after everything I had learned, I knew I wouldn't switch my diet back again; I took everything out of the kitchen cupboards that wasn't vegan and donated it to friends and food banks. I changed my products as they ran out to vegan-friendly ones and continued to research and learn.

After making all these changes at home, I realized that I hadn't made any significant changes in the studio for my practice. So, more research began, and eventually, I discovered I could make paint from earth minerals. This journey would become a complete love for earth minerals and making my own paint. Now, after five years, I have over 160 individual pigments, all carefully labeled and stored. I have shelves and shelves of unprocessed pigments, and I even receive rocks in the post from people to use to make paint. I haven't used any shop-bought paint in over five years now, and I wouldn't change that for the world; there is something really special about creating paint from the earth.

Lisa-Marie Price, "A Matter of Perspective" (2022). Original painting on birch plywood.

Do you have a favorite location where you enjoy collecting natural materials to make your pigments? 

I have a few places that I like to visit because I know I will find good color options. One is Cambois Beach in Northumberland, and the other is the remote Isle of Mull beaches. Saying that, though, I also love to visit new locations; the excitement of finding a color or rock that I have never seen before is always the goal! I carefully choose and collect new earth minerals in anticipation of getting back in the studio to process them to see what I have found.

Image belongs. to Lisa-Marie Price.

Considering your commitment to minimizing your carbon footprint by making your own paints from earth pigments, can you share other strategies or practices you employ to ensure your art practice remains environmentally conscious? How do these efforts influence your creative process and your message about sustainability in your artwork? 

Oh well, this is a tricky and complex question to answer. Firstly, I am not perfect. I try my hardest to think about and adapt systems to minimize my impact on the planet, but this does not mean I have it all sussed out. I am always learning and trying to find better ways to improve sustainability in my practice. Some things I have implemented are that I only ever use off-cuts for the linen paintings I make, I riffle through the bargain bins in art stores, and you'll be surprised what you can find by not buying off the roll—lots of beautiful high-end linen and sometimes huge sizes. I once bought an "off-cut" that was 210cm x 180cm in length! I don't make prints of my work; they are all originals. As I put so much effort into using natural resources in my work and making each individual paint from scratch, it would be counter-intuitive to make prints of them. I have turned down quite big jobs in the past that have asked me to make prints of my work for hotels, private clients, etc. I think it is important to stick to my beliefs, even if it means missing out on sales.

Another thing is that I only ever collect very small amounts of pigment. When I am foraging, I am conscious of how I collect, careful not to take too much of something. I never use a hammer or chisel to collect from places; I only ever collect loose rocks and earth. For me, this makes each painting even more special, as there will only ever be a small amount of that particular paint available.

A good friend bought me beautiful bamboo paintbrushes for my birthday one year, and I love them. It is important to think about what materials we buy, what they are made from, and how they get to us. It is also important to look after our tools and equipment, so they have longevity, preventing us from buying more and more things for our practice. I use minimal resources and only buy new things when I absolutely need to.

The choices I make in my practice, such as buying off-cut linen and only using paint I have made from rocks I have foraged (or people gifted to me), directly influence my practice. Depending on the size of linen I can obtain will dictate the size of the painting I can make that month. Depending on where I have visited and collected pigment will influence the colours I can paint with. The natural tones of the earth will always be present in my paintings. You won't find any neons here! The materials lead the process and a lot of the inspiration behind my work. 

Lisa-Marie Price, "Mind Control" (2022).

Your style is described as a mix of eco-minimalism and subtle maximalism. How do you achieve this balance in your paintings, especially in terms of color palette and composition? 

I guess they are an odd combination of terms to describe my work, but I think they are fairly accurate. On first impressions, my work feels subtle, delicate, and easy on the eye, but the more you look and observe, the more you see. You notice the complexity of the marks made and the overlaying tones in the paint. Then, when you know more about the inspiration behind the paintings, it can sometimes feel quite challenging and might not sit easily with you. 

I am not suggesting I lull anyone into a false sense of security. Still, I want to have conversations about climate change, consumerism, and human behavior, and on first impression, you probably wouldn't make those connections to my paintings.

I don't know how well I can answer how I achieve this balance in my paintings. I want to push the boundaries of subtlety and create complex and detailed impressions of our planet, giving it the close attention it deserves. My practice makes me slow down, appreciate the smaller things, and encourage me to return to basics. 

Image belongs. to Lisa-Marie Price.

What advice would you give aspiring artists who want to create meaningful work that contributes positively to environmental and social causes? 

I would say just do a little bit of research. If you work with acrylics, for example, maybe consider how you dispose of your dirty water or of the paint you haven't used. If you are an oil painter, look into sourcing eco-friendly brush cleaners. However you create, think carefully about what you use, and try not to waste your resources. Plan out a painting first to avoid lots of layers of mistakes. Maybe look into where your paint comes from or how far it has to travel to get to you. Or perhaps you can consider what packaging you use for shipping your work- is it environmentally friendly? How does your work get to the client? By air, freight, bike, or maybe even on foot, if it's not too far! There are lots of things we can all do, and honestly, there are lots more improvements I would like to implement in my practice, too. 

The work you create doesn't have to be about being sustainable or environmental, but you can make small changes in your studio to help the planet and not contribute to more waste. 

The Gallery Climate Coalition, for example, is a great source of inspiration and provides resources for improving your environmental impact as an artist. We have more information at our fingertips than ever before, so you have no excuse not to try to improve your practice a tiny bit.

Lisa-Marie Price is out in nature, finding inspiration.

What hobbies or activities inspire or influence your creative process outside of your artistic practice? 

Here's a list of my favorite things to do, in no particular order, that either influence my practice or give me the energy and space to create new and meaningful work. (Now you will find out how much of a geek I really am.)

• Read all the books, anything, from poetry to soil science, from meditation to finance, I'll read it.

• Walking my dog in our local park. She's an American Bulldog named Pearl. We rescued her years ago, and she's both lovely and a nightmare all at once. But we love her.

• Jigsaw puzzles. The harder, the better, but not so hard that it isn't fun. If you like a jigsaw puzzle, you will know what I mean by this.

• Meditating and journaling. I swear by this. Every morning I meditate for 15 minutes and write one page in my journal. It is a good way to start the day.

• Cocktails with friends. Sometimes, you just need to spend time with the people you love and be present… maybe over a good cocktail or two.

• A short break in the countryside. We either like to spend a weekend in Hampshire or a few weeks on the Isle of Mull surrounded by the peace and quiet of nature.

Stay up-to-date with the artist here:

Instagram: @lisapriceart

Website: https://www.lisamarieprice.co.uk/

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Hello! I want to underscore the importance of transparency in my work. I maintain no affiliations with the artists or galleries showcased in this interview, and I do not gain financially from any resulting sales through the provided links. My ethical stance extends to not accepting money from artists for features, as I firmly believe in recognizing talent based on merit rather than financial incentives.

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XX Jenny