Lysha Montiel - Biography

Biography

Lysha Montiel, an abstract artist, was born in Tucson, grew up in Southern California, and moved to Santa Fe in 2005. She currently resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

She is primarily self-taught. Her M.A. in Counseling Psychology/Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute and her B.A. in Religious Studies from California State University Northridge inform her process, evoking elements of the collective unconscious, archetypes, and mythology.

She chooses unconventional tools, techniques, and mediums. Her work is poetic, profound, gutsy, symbolic, and atmospheric, with a hint of landscapes. She builds ephemeral worlds with visionary and fantastical elements, sometimes later to be torn down, buried, and unearthed. Her work reflects an openness that invites the viewer to project. Lysha’s award-winning paintings have been exhibited in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos.

Artist Statement

Creating abstract art is an intuitive, visual conversation and a means to connect with myself and others. Nature and the unseen inspire me. Early on, my mother encouraged me to experiment, get messy, and hear my art voice. I seek something new in each painting that resonates spiritually, almost like prayer or the birth of a poem. I begin with a blank canvas and an open mind. Instinct propels my initial choice of paint (acrylic, gouache, or ink), squirted directly onto the canvas. An orchestra of colors, marks, water, textures, collages, scraping, physicality, and anything new I wish to try ensues. All the while, I am searching for a painting that speaks to me. Some pieces reach their truth quickly, while others have 10 or more layers of construction and deconstruction, with remnants peeking through. It has always been about letting go and allowing what wants to come through. It is here where I experience being "in the flow." I am part of the cosmos, trusting its hand.