Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisette Morel.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I’m a Dominican-American artist, mother, independent curator and educator living and working in NJ. I was raised in NYC/NJ in a Dominican home; juxtaposed with learning English in a 1980’s Catholic school while serving as a translator for my elders, witnessing my maternal grandmother make offerings and knowing things as she rolled her own cigars. Growing up with black tarred rooftops, picnics on fire escapes, merengue, hip-hop and rock music. All of this sets the backdrop, feeding my art, the process and practice. I never questioned/nor doubted whether or not I was going to grow up and create. A natural feeling, meant for me to be. So, I pursued my art studies at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ. There I immersed myself in many cultural organizations, met amazing people and worked as the weekend art instructor for the Newark Museum. Towards the end of my time at Rutgers, the language of abstraction revealed itself to me. Great advisors led me to Tyler School of Art, Temple University, PA. for my Masters in Painting. And this was my first time living away on my own. It was an incredible time to explore everything, life and art. Just as I was about to complete my Masters in Painting, I was nominated for the prestigious Joan Mitchell MFA Grant. I received it, and it was an exciting and great support to set up a studio and continue painting. I also taught, mainly adjunct college positions mostly until I moved back to NJ.
In NJ and married to Eric, a great dad and fabulous trained chef, I sought more full-time educator positions. As of right now, I’m full time as an art educator at New Milford High School, NJ. I have two amazing daughters, Selmah age 8 and Sianna age 11, who keep me alive awake and amused. We are always on the move from art, family and friends to school and sports. So our motto in our house is, “ you can be tired when you get to bed”.
Living this new chapter in my life means that I just have to be awake and creating and informing myself anywhere and all of the time. It means that I may not always have a consistent art making schedule so I have to be flexible and readjust because life happens. I have tremendous family support especially from my parents who help out with my girls so that I can continue creating.
Please tell us about your art.
I am not interested in creating pretty pictures. I want to know what a painting could be? It’s at the core when I create. Stripping the majestic ideas of and painting’s history, deconstructing it all to reconstruct it for me. Therefore, I use a variety of non-traditional tools like mops, brooms, my lips my body to push how I will make the marks and to feel the surfaces’ reaction to the materials. I do use the abstract language as my primary means to create. I see the abstract as a representation of our world of myself. As I invite chaos into my practice, I also give it order with small rules-limitations, like restricting how many colors I use, mainly black, white, grays and one other color. My paintings are off the stretchers freeing the fabric from structure, boundaries, constraints and the surfaces are filled with my accumulative repetitive intense marks. As I mark and respond to the materials the paintings evolve invoking anthropomorphic tendencies as they occupy the wall they misbehave and take over the floor. My movements lend itself to performance. For me, performance is an extension of my body in relation to the pieces. This is when instead of tracking my marks as proof that I existed with performance it becomes a much more intimate shared moment together. I have also included the public in the art making, engaging them so that their role shifts from spectator to creator.
My art making is very laborious after many gestural marks with a mop or jumping to plant a mark on the surface I’m exhausted; the pain is part of the practice. It’s necessary for me to feel it; it’s how I further connect to my practice to life. I invite people to come on an emotive journey with me feeling it with me allowing for the many possibilities inherent in challenging, breaking the rules… in asking why not.
We often hear from artists that being an artist can be lonely. Any advice for those looking to connect with other artists?
Yes, it does at times feel like you are alone, but you are not. Definitely go out to the exhibitions. It’s great to be present for the openings, but it does get crowded. If you can not make it to many openings, make sure try to see the artwork on a later date. Check with the galleries if there are other events associated with the exhibition like an artist talk. Reach out to your community art organizations. Apply to residencies and attend workshops. Many art organizations and galleries also have other art events. Pot lucks surrounding themes, poetry nights. Think about which like-minded souls you would love to surround yourself with and seek them. Or make it happen by opening up your studio space and creating events which you organize.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have a website www.lisettemorel.com and Instagram @lisettemorel.
Group Exhibitions, Open Studios, and a group Performance I am curating:
“I Kan Do Dat” “Practice and Process” “Females Occupying Space”
Opening March 30th, opening April 6th, Group Performance April 26
Rush Art Philly Gallery Aferro Paul Robeson-Express Newark
4954 Old York, Road 73, Market St., Rutgers University,
Philadelphia, PA Newark, NJ 07102 Hahne & Co Building
50 Halsey Street
“I Kan Do Dat” Newark Open Studios Newark, NJ 07102
Opening April 6th April 13th
Upper Darby Gallery Gallery Aferro
3rd fl., 26 Park Ave., 73 Market Street,
Upper Darby, PA 19082 Newark, NJ 07102
Contact Info:
- Website: lisettemorel.com
- Email: lisette@lisettemorel.com
- Instagram: @lisettemorel
Image Credit:
Jennifer Coard
Artyard Center, Frenchtown, NJ
Lisette Morel
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
