In the Studio with Artist Lisa Scarbath
Lisa Scarbath is a Resident Artist at the Howard County Arts Council in Ellicott City, MD. She creates mosaic wall art, decor, furniture and custom portraits. Lisa's art is diverse; she thrives on being able to choose what materials to work with based on the finished project she envisions. Lisa alternates between cutting colorful stained glass for a realistic pet portraits or vintage wooden window scenes to digging in and getting her hands dirty cutting slate for an abstract, more organic project. Upcycling broken plates, bowls and cups of china or ceramic presents challenges of color, shape and density when transforming them into alternative compositions. She uses found objects such as watch parts, jewelry, toy pieces, charms and almost any other small bits to make mosaic bouquets or themed 3D creatures such as blue crabs, starfish, horseshoe crabs, turtles and hermit crabs. Lisa's art ranges from realistic to abstract, functional, meaningful and thought-provoking to just plain fun. Lisa's goal is to provide the viewer with something new to see each time they look at one of her finished pieces.
A member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, the Howard County Center for the Arts, the Dorchester Center for the Arts, the Carroll County Arts Council, and the Art League of Ocean City, Lisa is active in the arts community throughout central Maryland and the Eastern Shore and has work in several gift shops from Frederick to Ocean City. Her steampunk crabs were chosen by Artists Sunday as one of the Top 20 Gifts for 2020.
Here’s Lisa talking about her art, process and experience………..
What art do you most identify with? Fine Art Mosaics
When did you realize you were an artist? I am still struggling with that label…. My perception of an “artist” has always been reserved for someone who has studied the arts in school and works full time in their medium, so I’m still trying to update my thinking and allow myself to be considered an artist. My mother, Pat Lang, is a self-taught oil painter and has painted her entire life, but because she did not study art in school, she has always thought of herself and been treated as “less than” professionals despite having sold many pieces, being in professional associations and having won awards. Fortunately for us art is now much more accessible to everyone, from creating to buying, in part because of the internet and social media, so the label of being an “artist” is a broader concept.
How did you get into your art/side-gig? I have always been crafty and enjoy creating objects with my hands. About 22 years ago I learned how to create traditional stained glass to make a transom window for our house in Federal Hill, but took a looooong break after having kids. A few years ago, I created a mosaic at a small craft store and felt the light bulb go off over my head – I had found my artform! Mosaics are much more freeing in materials and composition than traditional stained glass.
What are you currently working on? I always have several projects going at one time and many more in queue. Currently, I am working on two 3D mosaic mannequins that will be part of the Resident Artists show at the Howard County Center for the Arts at the end of April. My steampunk crabs and samples for my upcoming workshops are also in progress.
What's your favorite piece of artwork that you have created and why? My favorite piece so far is “Sunflowers” – a stained glass mosaic in a vintage wooden window. It was my first piece that I created in my new studio at the Howard County Center for the Arts and the biggest at the time, 36”x33” and 23 lbs. The vivid colors are uplifting and the size and flow of the pieces create movement in the piece. The colors of the glass change depending on whether light comes from behind. The piece sold the day I finished and posted it on social media.
What food, drink, song inspires you? I like a variety of music from pop and classic rock to show tunes. I alternate between listening to music, podcasts and audio books as I work depending on the concentration level needed for the project.
What memorable responses have you had to your work? My pet portraits have evoked the most memorable responses because they are usually purchased by a loved one or friend for someone who has lost their pet. My first inspiration for my stained glass on glass pieces was creating a portrait of my own golden retriever, Colby, who had recently passed on.
My small tabletop mannequin, Amphitrite, also received a memorable response. I just happened to stop into the OC Center for the Arts where the piece was on exhibit and had won an “Honorable Mention” for the show “All Dressed Up” when I saw a man admiring it. He envisioned just the right spot for the work at his house and described it to me. It was so rewarding to know that someone wanted to (and did) invest in one of my works to decorate their house. (photo attached)
My steampunk and embellished crabs and other creatures usually invoke fun responses because of they are unique.
What work do you most enjoy creating? I most enjoy creating whatever I’m currently working on! I thrive on the ability to move between projects using stained glass to tiles to broken dishes to organic materials. I really don’t have a favorite and never get bored! Most challenging may be using stained glass to make realistic pieces. Since you can’t blend glass – choosing the right colors and making the right cuts are essential.
What’s your favorite quote? “You can’t control others, so concentrate on controlling yourself.”- Lisa M. Scarbath
What role does the artist have in society? Artists in society have the responsibility to make the world a more beautiful place. What constitutes “beautiful” is in the viewer and can simply be something that is fun or pleasing to the eye or a piece that raises social awareness or makes social commentary.
What’s your dream job? I am currently living my dream job! Like so many others who have realized their passions later in life (I’m 51), I have always been creative, but did not pursue art as a career until recently. I majored in English and History in college and went to law school. I practiced as a criminal defense lawyer for several years, took many years off to start a family, then worked as an undergraduate adjunct professor for 10 years until last year.
My goals for the future of my art include expanding my technical knowledge and skill, trying new methods and continuing to experiment with different materials. For my art business, I want to have my pieces included in more local and regional stores and expand my customer base so that I my art business is financially independent. I would love to engage in community projects and create custom backsplashes and murals.
One of the most important goals is to prove to my children, family and friends (and maybe even myself) that it is ok to change your direction in life, and it is ultimately so important to do something that you are passionate about and enjoy. Nothing is always fun or easy one hundred percent of the time, so chose to do what you love. I would also like to be able to teach classes so that others can experience the amazing feeling of piecing together bits to form a bigger picture. It’s pure joy!
Is there any local artist that Inspires you? If so, who and why? Some of the local mosaic artists who inspire me are Bonnie Fitzgerald from Vienna, VA who creates amazing work, has written books and teaches other. Yulia Hanansen is a Baltimore based mosaic artist who has created an amazing mural for the Howard County library system. Gail Rosen owns Andamento Gallery in Hamden and creates beautiful work combining glass and natural materials.
One of my favorite local artists is Joyce Ritter who is a fellow Resident Artist. She creates fine art quilts which are really mosaics with fabric. She tells a story with her pieces which are based on photographs taken from her journeys.
The most inspiring artist in my life is my mom, Pat Lang, who has been my biggest fan, supporter and assistant. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish half of what I have without her unwavering confidence in my abilities.
Why art? Creating art fulfills a basic need in me to produce pieces that make people smile or give them something to talk about.
For more information on Lisa and her amazing artwork, check her out on Instagram and facebook @PiecefulDesignsMosaics or her website at www.PiecefulDesignsMosaics.com .
