Behind every Lisa Tindall piece is a generous and full artistic spirit. Whether it be a gouache painting of an owl, a pastel chimp, a stitched bird - or, in a long-running theme, decorated skulls - the art exudes Lisa's bold yet tender sensibility.
Biography and storytelling are cornerstones of her discipline. She’s been journaling since 2013 - jotting down the inventory of a day or, after a marathon session at Studio A, taking to the page for some R&R. In 2018, Lisa embroidered a particularly personal excerpt onto a blue velvet and red satin formal dress. The piece was inspired by a found photograph of Lisa as an adolescent, dressed to the nines in a ball gown.
With artist/curator Stella Rosa McDonald, the artist embarked on a year-long memoir project, culminating in a showing of the embroidered dress at the Australian Design Centre in 2019. Later, she co-authored an article about the work with PhD candidate Chloe Watfern for the British Journal of Learning Disabilities. "I want people to know that personal change and power is possible through writing and making art” - said Lisa at the closing of her address for the 2019 ASID (Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability) conference.
The part of Lisa’s art that dwells in fantasy and character - those aforementioned skulls composed of patterns in Posca and washes of paint - is pure rebellion and all daring. When asked why she chose that subject, she replies succinctly, “because no one else is doing it”. Lisa is unafraid to twist and upend her audience’s expectations. The skulls are celebratory and optimistic, never macabre or grisly.
Lisa has exhibited widely – at Underbelly Arts Festival, Sydney Contemporary and the Australian Design Centre – and in 2023, her work was selected and highly commended in the Artful art prize hosted by Achieve Australia and Accessible Arts.
Lisa’s work has also appeared in the public domain as part of Bird Life Jungle Disco, a major mural in the central food court of UTS, as well as Two Love Birds which was licensed by Stockland to beautify their shopping centres across Australia.
- Words by Will Kollmorgen, portrait by Scott Heldorf
You'll get notifications when new products become available from Lisa Tindall.
Imagine a future where artists with disability thrive in the arts, enjoying equitable opportunities, recognition and the backing to pursue their creative careers. Our goal is to shape a society that wholeheartedly embraces and appreciates the unique artistic offerings of artists with disability.
Your contribution serves as a meaningful investment in making this future a vibrant reality.