Area Native Welcomes Heartland’s Embrace Upon Return

By Kara Dicker

Ferguson, MO native Lisa Perez returned to the St. Louis area in 2020, retiring from a career in marketing on the West Coast. The move turned out to be more than geographical.

August Super Moon” by Lisa Perez

“I missed painting,” Perez said.

Shortly after her arrival she rented studio space in Webster Groves and embarked upon a new journey --rediscovering her passion for art instilled in her as a child. “We were always looking at paintings and talking about painting,” Perez said of her family. Her father drew portraits of movie stars and was a friend of the late Siegfreid Rinehart, a celebrated painter and teacher in St. Louis. All her siblings attended art school.

A graduate of McCluer High School, Perez received a scholarship to study art at Washington University. Upon graduation, she worked in advertising as a graphic designer. Her career led her to California, where she worked as a marketing director for the UCLA campus until her retirement.

In the three years since her return to the Midwest, Perez’ reintroduction to painting and showing art has been productive. She joined the Missouri Plein Air Painters of America (MOPAPA) and began participating in their Sunday outings to area parks. “I paint in the studio, but the inspiration comes from being outside,” Perez said. “I can’t explain the feeling of being out there with other painters.” Perez said she enjoys Forest Park especially, citing its abundance and quality of plantings, which she describes as “spectacular” and greatly improved in the years since she was away.

Perez paints primarily from oils. Her brushstrokes are loose and energetic, and embraces her love for experiencing natural beauty. On a recent family vacation hike in Maine, Perez completed on location the sketches for what would evolve into Coastal Maine, a 30”x40” oil on canvas celebrating pines, water, and sky, and not without a touch of whimsy. Upon completion, Perez added a kaleidoscope of orange butterflies in the immediate foreground, offering a layer of color play against the brilliant green of the foliage.

Last year Perez joined Heartland Art Club, where she sold work in the V x VII Show and volunteers each month as a gallery host. In October, she was among the twenty-five artists who participated in the Scenic Ozarks Artist Retreat (SOAR). The weekend’s unexpected rain caused the plein air event to convene indoors. Perez said the experience was invaluable. In her view, the rain allowed for more instructive interaction. “We got to share more ideas and input,” she said of shutting in together within the large dining hall lined with generous windows. Additionally, Perez said the camaraderie further fueled by host Michael McClure’s vegetarian cooking was “incredible, from the soups to the muffins.”

This year Perez says she looks forward to participating in more shows at Heartland. “I’m kind of amazed by the quality of the art community here,” she said. “I have been so happy to find so many good representational painters. When I moved here, I had no idea what a strong community we have.”

Meanwhile, as a gallery host, Perez says she enjoys and understands the positive surprise visitors often express upon descending the Gallery steps and discovering for themselves what many say they had no idea existed.

“Coastal Maine” by Lisa Perez