Meet Lisa Haque: Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Haque and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Being an artist can feel like a rollercoaster sometimes. A good day in the studio, learning a new process, even a deeply inspiring conversation can be like a bolt of electricity, lighting up the work. On the flip side, scrapping an artwork into which I’ve invested a lot of time and effort can feel pretty demoralizing. Add to that the constant stream of knowledge of what everyone everywhere else is always doing/winning/achieving on instagram or wherever and you can begin to feel quite stuck. So how to know you’re heading in a good direction, not just spinning in a circle?

One of the most practical things I learned in graduate school was how to reframe my thinking to counter my own negative thoughts. Do I feel envious of someone’s ambitious project, or the large grant they received? Perhaps it’s because I hadn’t realized I wanted those particular things for myself. Am I getting stuck in my head about whether I like the direction a new artwork is going? Maybe it’s time to have a trusted artist friend over for an honest critique…

There will always be fluctuations in my career: more or less attention from outside institutions, dry spells while I try to get the work back on track after having a kid or other major life changes. I choose to see these times as the artwork needing to ‘lay fallow’ for a bit, as I soak in new experiences and energy in order to come back even stronger when I’m finally back at it. What doesn’t change, what will always remain deep down as an integral part of who I am, is a need to make art. It’s how I process my own experiences, unravel my thoughts, and ultimately connect on a deeper level with others.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

My artwork is very tactile. I pride myself on being sensitive to the materials I work with, most notably handmade paper. Making paper is a fascinating process I was introduced to and felt an immediate connection with. It involves transforming raw materials- like certain plants or cotton or linen cloth- into pulp, mixing it with water, and forming sheets onto screens. Pressing and drying these sheets removes the water and furthers completes the process. Each step informs the end result- from the materials you select, how long you process those fibers, how thick you make the sheets, the drying method, etc. Add to this the ability to add color, mimic any texture you see, and the possibilities are mind boggling! I found my voice as an artist by continually pursuing my interest in this media, as well as making artist books- a naturally connected discipline. There is so much to learn about these thousands of years old practices and cultures around the world by studying them. Twenty years, a Masters of Fine Art degree, and seven years as a professional papermaker later, I find myself still hooked.

That said, I didn’t get to enjoy any hands-on papermaking process in 2020! It’s obviously been a surreal and scary time for everyone. I am grateful to have spent it with my two children: one a toddler, the other having just turned one. We shared many joyous, simple moments and they were wholly unaware of the bizarre circumstances we all found ourselves in. However, for the first time in forever, I also found myself without any sort of studio setup, having put it in storage right before the baby was born for what I thought would be a few months. I kept my hands busy by making projects with my daughter, and an indecent amount of baking, but I am also so grateful to the individuals and institutions that invited me to participate in digital projects and events.

Taryn Nicoll, the chief curator and her team at The Frank C. Ortis Art Gallery and Exhibit Hall in Pembroke Pines Florida, were quick to pivot and turn their exhibition Biological Futurism into an entirely online experience- something I would not have done on my own. Likewise, the entirely online nature of the exhibition: Materiality, Papermaking in the Age of Isolation, made it possible for me to submit large works and participate in a virtual artist lecture during the North American Hand Papermaker’s Conference this year. And I don’t know that I would have further honed my public speaking skills, had the Sculpture Center in Cleveland Ohio not invited me to moderate an artist talk for the exhibition: Aimee Lee and Sarah Rose Lejeune Exhibition: A consolation of things. So I am grateful for these new skills, and the chance to keep connecting with artists and communities.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Being an artist, the time I most often welcome visitors is during Art Basel, which of course includes its own whirlwind universe of fairs, events, and related craziness to keep anyone busy for at least a week. Other times of the year, family and friends’ visits tend to center around eating as many delicious things as possible, of which Miami has an incredible amount of options. A morning might include selecting one of every type of empanada and guava pastry at Cafe Charlotte in South Beach, and eating it on the sand before most other tourists are awake. Or grabbing some steak sandwiches, potent and tooth-achingly sweet cafe con leche and pineapple juice at one of the Palacio de los Jugos locations and heading to the Everglades to check out some alligator action, followed by a visit to one of the many gorgeous gardens around the area, from the famous Fairchild to the tiny and delightful Miami Beach Botanical Garden and some finally incredible pizza at Lucali in Sunset Harbor. For some culture, we’d take in a show at the Perez Art Museum followed by some time chilling in the swings outside taking in the view, or maybe we’d head north to some artist-run spaces like the Laundromat Art Space or Bridge Red Studios in North Miami. Near Coral Gables? I would swing by Books and Books to get happily lost in the stacks for a few hours. To close out the day, some riverside dining at Garcia’s and taking in the ‘scenery’ at happy hour at the Standard. Once things return to normal, all of these and more options will all hopefully be available, including more late night options. For this mama of two under three years old, I will happily be tucked in early, resting up to catch the next spectacular sunrise the littles can’t seem to sleep through these days.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Living in Miami, I have met some of the most genuine, encouraging, and supportive artists. They attend each others’ events, happily share knowledge and resources, and in general hold each other up. I am grateful to Carol Todaro, Rudolf Kohn, Adler Guerrier, Rosemarie Charlione, Karen Rifas, Regina Jestrow, Donna Ruff, Jeanette Stargala, Jennifer Basile and curator Amy Galpin for being some of these people. To my amazing friend and sometime assistant Kathy Kellner, who jumps in whenever quickly-approaching deadlines demand and to my family, especially my husband Atif, who make all this possible.

Website: lisahaque.com
Instagram: lisa_haque
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ngu1Q-qVt5k
Other: https://www.thefrankgallery.org/p/getconnected/now-on-exhibition https://www.northamericanhandpapermakers.org/2020-materiality https://sculpturecenter.org/aimee-lee-and-sarah-rose-lejeune-a-consolation-of-things/

Image Credits
Eléonore Simon