Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Zinna.
Hi Lisa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello. I’m a photographer/artist living in Austin for 19 years with my family, originally from Upstate New York.
My first camera was a white Argus Lady Carefree Instamatic camera back when I was ten years old. I vividly remember pressing the shutter button because it was large and rectangular, and it had a nice feel to it.
I remember my Mom saying that I shouldn’t take photos of scenery when we were on vacation because you can buy postcards that are better. She thought it made more practical sense to take pictures of people that you know. This was where my rule following had its limits!
Through the years, I’ve had various cameras, and I tried really hard to learn the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO settings through classes and whatnot. “Automatic everything” was not an option back in the day.
When I finally went all-in on a better DSLR camera, I found myself content to keep it on automatic mode. Yes, I’m that person! I’m not interested in being a technical photographer. However, I’m in my happy place when I begin the editing process. It feels like a playground that I never want to leave.
Once I discovered editing, my creativity took off in other directions, which ended up being another part of the editing process. Paper collage and simple abstract paintings gave me another layer of imagery to work with.
People are surprised to learn that I don’t use Photoshop. I edit just about everything these days using apps on my cell phone. Picsart is my app of choice right now, and I’m officially one of their VIPs as an early adopter.
Nature and architecture scenes are what I’m drawn to as a base image. I feel like I can take a subpar photo and turn it into something interesting and colorful by compositing several photographs to create a surreal image.
I’ve been known to close my eyes and select random photos to combine to stretch my creativity. For the record, many end up in the virtual garbage can, but I enjoy the challenge.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Art has not been a career for me, but something I got more serious about right before I retired from IBM after 27 years. Since then, I’ve been working diligently to learn more, perfect my craft, and experiment.
There is so much to learn within the business of art that extends well beyond the making. Suddenly, you’re a marketer, an accountant, a salesperson, a negotiator, and art volunteer. Not necessarily paths that I thought I’d travel down. Thank goodness I love learning! Instagram, YouTube, and books from the library are my teachers.
Having supportive and encouraging family and friends makes everything better, as well.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My signature style is called “color crazy photo art”. Pretty colors make me happy, and my goal is to bring the same joy to others through my artwork.
From experimentation, I have a fondness for:
Multiple layered nature images.
Abstracts composed solely of layers of images of paper collages.
Minimal images with white or solid backgrounds.
Unnatural color washes.
I’ve created a collection of about 500 images in a series called “Leave Me Alone”, where I photograph a single leaf and then layer it with color washes, collage images, or graphics. Seven of these leaves are on 12′ banners in Prete Plaza in Downtown Round Rock as part of their public art initiative.
My favorite method of displaying photographs is adhering them wood panels and hand-pouring acrylic resin over them. This gives them a shiny finish and a modern look. It’s a skill that took a bit of trial and error to learn, but now I’m happy to help others with this process.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Joining local art groups has been a huge factor in getting to know the art community here in Austin.
As a member of the Creative Arts Society, I’ve met so many artists who have become friends. Through this shared interest, I’ve also gained new skills by volunteering to coordinate art exhibits, giving a demo on resin pouring, and working on their social media.
Round Rock Arts is another non-profit organization that I volunteer with that enables me to promote local artists, both seasoned and emerging. As the Gallery Chair for the Texas State University (Round Rock Campus), I’m able to assist with providing a beautiful space for artists to display their work.
The East and West Austin Studio Tours have been another excellent source for networking. In fact, Sylvia Troconis, that I met at a WEST exhibit, is now someone who I have been collaborating with on a new project. This was especially important during the COVID-19 lockdown, when we, as artists, were feeling very isolated.
Contact Info:
- Email: lisazin@gmail.com
- Website: lisazinna.com
- Instagram: @lisa.zinna
