Lisa Harris
Member Spotlight - September 2019
Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
- I was born and raised in the small gulf coast Texas town of Angleton. I moved to Houston in the 90s and graduated from the University of Houston with a BFA in Photography/ Digital Media in 2002. After several other moves, my family and I settled in Montgomery, TX in 2016. I love living by Lake Conroe and the Sam Houston National Forest. I do most of my photography in public forest lands.
- Why did you join TPS, and how long have you been involved?
I’m currently an MFA candidate at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I’m enrolled in the eLearning program and have been able to do my entire degree online while living here in Texas. When I first began the program, I had a professor suggest that I look into TPS to see the work of other contemporary artists. I joined as a student in 2017, and some of my submitted work was accepted into the “30th Annual Members Only Show”. I also had two other pieces accepted the following year in the “#tpsNewVisions” students’ exhibition.
- Why did you become a photographer, and where do you find inspiration or motivation for your work?
I spent several years as a videographer but missed the fascinating way in which a single image could tell a story. When I decided to go to SCAD, I knew that I wanted to do conceptual photography that reflected my interests, with a touch of whimsy, on themes related to philosophy and modern times.
My current work is influenced by contemporary Dutch artist Teun Hocks and several of his contemporaries such as Bas Jan Ader and Sigurdur Gudmundsson. These artists explored the role of the “everyman” with elements of wry humor
- How would you describe your photography and/or working process?
Although my background is film, my current work is digital. Since I create mostly staged photos with occasional digital compositing, it has become necessary for me to plan my shoots more carefully. I often sketch out an idea then translate it photographically. Sometimes my interpretation is close to what I sketched, but not always. For my thesis, I have incorporated the concept sketches as part of the project. I plan to include some of them in addition to the photographs in my upcoming thesis exhibition.
- Please tell us about your most recent photographic work.
My most recent body of work “Thoughts Determine Life” is directed towards common experiences within contemporary society and human emotions that are known and shared by all. Some of the philosophic notions highlighted by Erich Fromm, David Riesman, and Boris Groys, have been an influence on this series. The images are staged in both domestic and natural settings. One trait that is common throughout is the seemingly absurd depictions. This is used as a way to emphasize the general idea. What is intended to unite this work is the concept of how thoughts, feelings, and beliefs can affect an understanding of objective reality.
