Artist’s statement
My work is about perception, which is how; we regard, understand, or interpret the world around us to create a mental impression. I am constantly inspired by photo-based images of aerial landscapes and biological references of cellular structures. Each type of image is not easily viewed, an aerial landscape requires an aircraft and a camera and cellular structures require a microscope or another optical instrument.
As I began to look at both types of images, I noticed visual similarities; an aerial view of an island resembled an influenza virus magnified through a microscope. With closer observation, the simple elements of shape, color and texture took precedence over representation. This allowed my work to evolve into abstraction and become a unique interpretation of the original images.
As part of encouraging the viewer to think about perception, the images are printed in a scale not consistent with the actual size of the subject. The aerial perspectives are printed small in scale and the cellular images are printed larger in scale, which creates a focus on the use of color, texture and pattern and a change in how the viewer might interpret the subject matter.
About
Lisa DiMichele is a Denver based printmaker and educator. Her work is inspired by aerial photography and images utilizing different types of scientific equipment including a Scanning Electron Microscope, a Transmission Electron Microscope and Light Micrograph.
She is currently an instructor at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton Colorado where she teaches printmaking, drawing, design, and color theory.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. As an undergraduate student, Lisa discovered her love for printmaking and continued her studies at Kent State University where she completed a Master of Fine Arts degree.
While in graduate school she became interested in microscopic images and was able to work within the biology department. The relationship allowed her access to photograph different specimens; which were being used for studies and the experience continues to influence her art.
