Lisa Kirkman began fusing glass in 2005 because of an interest in the medium. She started with jewelry and in only a few short months was asked to make one of her original designs for the reigning Miss Universe and Miss USA by the President of the Miss Universe Organization.
In 2007 she began making sculptures and immediately started winning awards for this new endeavor. In early 2008 she was asked to do a One Woman Show at Gallery 88 on the University of West Florida campus and by the end of that year she was named by the Pensacola News Journal as one of a handful of artists who "Made an impression in '08".
Lisa is a self taught artist. Although she appreciates a need for formal training, she has a desire to create art for her own personal satisfaction with no outside influences which might impose restrictions or set formulas upon her work.
Her desire is to have fun with her medium, and it shows!
SOLD! "Two Sides to the Story" is a reversible piece which can be viewed from either side. It was juried into Pensacola's prominent Cinco Banderas Show for 2009 and was purchased during the showing. The piece depicts the nature of two viewpoints. The black polished side reveals a story complete with flourishes as seen in the copper window. The truth is represented by the larger dots, however, the story teller as seen in the smaller dots tends to border on the truth, but then falls short or strays from it each time. A red border adds color to the narration. On the highly reflective surface of this side, however, you can see shadows of reality looking back at you.
The opposite side is rough, grossly colored, with twisted copper depicting the truth being twisted and distorted. A rusty nail that Lisa found in her father-in-law's back yard represents the actual, solid truth that has rusted from neglect. It has been driven into one of the twists of copper in an unnatural way, a poor attempt at the truth which totally misses the mark.
