Lisa M. DuPree :: Contemporary Artist and Crafts Person

Artist Statement

Some amazing artwork can be done quickly, sporadically, or is even found in something that already exists. The same cannot be said about my thread work. My thread pieces have been described as “ridiculous,” “insane,” “sculpturesque.” The great amount of time and work I put into my thread pieces is completely worth it when I’ve surprised and thrilled not only my friends and family, but myself.

Lisa Dupree I place individual strands of very fine thread one at a time on a pencil drawing that has been sprayed with glue. Depending on the detail of the piece, a work about 5in x 5in will take me upwards of 50 hours. The subject matters so far have been reminiscent, personal, to show skill, to show a love of color and shape, to pay homage to an artist, or to portray a loved one. I don’t believe this shows a lack of focus. Instead, it is proof to me that I can portray any subject I choose expertly in the medium I developed myself.

My long term plans for my thread medium are to do a variety of thread portraits of elderly women, expressly showing their famous wrinkles. It will show the beauty of growing old and give us all something to look forward to, rather than something to dread. Generally, that is what my thread work is for and that is why it is important to me. I feel the need to show how awesome so many things are that are usually overlooked. What better way to do that than with a medium that draws so much awe itself. I also hope to inspire my viewers to work as hard as they can, and to know that if they do, they can accomplish exactly what they want.

- Lisa M. DuPree

Resume

Education
1996- 2000 College of Charleston
BFA in Studio Art
Concentration in Drawing and Painting
Highly Distinguished in field of Studio Art
GPA 3.93

Exhibitions
2007    The Kentucky Girlhood Project Glassworks & Actor's Theatre , Louisville KY
2007    Finding Family 21C Museum, Louisville KY
2006    Holiday Show Kentucky Employees Credit Union, Frankfort KY
2006    Forecastle Mellwood Art Center, Louisville KY
2005    Celebrating Women Fraizer Historical Arms Museum, Louisville KY
2005    Solo show, Works in Fiber Kentucky Employees Credit Union, Frankfort KY
2005    New Meat Cinderblock Art Gallery, Louisville KY

Publications
2003 Medical illustrations: Figures 2-4, Adams DB. Pancreatic Ductal Disruptions Leading to Pancreatic Fistula, Pancreatic Ascites in Current Surgical therapy, 8th Edition, Cameron JL Editor, Elsevier-Mosby, Philadelphia, PA, 2004, page 489.
2007 Thread portrait accompanying Q&A with Dr. James Watson, “Guess
Who’s Coming to DNA?” Pitch Magazine, page 16.

Personal Bio

I grew up as one of five kids in a military family. We moved from one coast of the U.S. to the other repeatedly, and also spent 3 years in Okinawa, Japan. With always so much going on, I found myself getting lost in the shuffle quite a bit. And for some reason, I never felt understood by my peers- the ones at school AND the ones at home…

And then I went to college. There, I found people who got me - people who justified everything I’d ever felt about things I had previously been made to think was abnormal. From here, I was able to develop my creative and critical thinking much further than I ever thought I would. Being understood provided me with the confidence needed to persue an art career.

So, in college I developed a medium where I lay finely colored strands of thread as closely together as possible on a sticky surface to create a picture. When it is complete, it looks like a painting from a couple feet away; but look a little closer, and you can see a massive amount of detailed, labor intensive, AMAZING work that goes into creating just one 5 inch x 5 inch piece! This unique, self-taught art form has allowed me to show work at establishments such as the Kentucky Employees Credit Union in Frankfort, KY; and in Louisville, KY at the following: North End Café, Frazier Historical Arms Museum, River Bend Winery, Glassworks, Actor’s Theatre, and even 21C Museum, among others.