CCE- I remember when we started our email conversation 5 years ago after you purchased something from my store and sent a lovely email with a photo of how you framed your piece. After that you started showing me your own work and before I knew it, you were booked for a show at Schmancy. Since then it has been a huge treat to see how far your career has gone from tons of shows, your work with Chronicle Books, magazine features, etc…I could go on and on. What have been some of your highlights over these past 5 years?

LC- Yes, it’s true that you gave me my first break! I am forever indebted to you for that amazing opportunity. I am at the point now where I turn shows down because I do not have time to do more than one or two solo shows a year, and sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the amount of work I have so it feels really amazing to remember back to how I felt that first time anyone wanted to show my work. I remember getting that email from you and being so excited that my heart was jumping out of my chest. I barely even thought of myself as an artist five years ago, so it is amazing to think about all that has happened since then. I think the main highlight for me is being able to wake up everyday and do what I love. I have the privilege of spending my days doing what I love and I am not shy about that fact that I love this life and it makes me happy. Lots of good things have come to me since I started, including lots of the things you already named above (shows, an amazing agent, press, etc). I feel so lucky.

CCE- As a self-taught artist, what has been the biggest lesson learned since the beginning of your art career?

LC- I think the most important lesson I have learned is to stay positive and work your butt off even when things are slow (i.e when you are not getting or selling very much work). I hang out with my friend, illustrator Mati McDonough, a lot and we talk about work because we do the same thing for a living and deal with similar ups and downs. We try to help each other keep a positive perspective and encourage each other. I also think it’s important to work as hard as you can to do your best work when things feel slow. I always say to myself, “Lisa, don’t give up!! Be a fighter!” My agent says “good vibes buys art” and I think this is really key. I stay positive and work hard, and good things keep happening.

CCE- You are also a partner of Rare Device, a wonderful shop in SF. How has that been and how has it affected your career?

LC- Yes! Co-owning Rare Device with my amazing business partner Rena has been one of the most important and enjoyable experiences of my life. I think my art career feeds my creativity for the shop (we are an art and design shop, so it’s a really wonderful inspiring place to be) and the shop feeds my creativity for what I create in my studio. It’s been a really wonderful symbiotic relationship. Plus, when I am at the store I get to interact with people, which I don’t do in the studio, and that keeps me sane.

CCE- What would be your number one tip for being a successful artist?

LC- Work hard, practice, practice, practice, and always try to get better and better at what you do.

Thank you Lisa! We look forward to hearing you speak about your career in more length at our conference!