You’re the brilliant American Fine Artist behind Portland Opera’s 60th anniversary season artwork. Tell us a bit about your career trajectory and how your identity and experience has informed your visual style.

Illustration is a second career for me, and I am completely self-taught. I started drawing and painting in my early thirties as a hobby outside my day job in education. At the time, I considered art-making a respite from my job and a way to challenge myself in new ways. But I fell in love with the creative process, and the deeper I got into it, the more I began to wonder what it might be like to make a living as an artist. Fast forward almost 20 years later, and I run a studio with three employees with a retail arm, including an online shop and a storefront inside Cargo in Portland, an illustration and design arm, where I do work for brands and non-profits, and a fine art arm where I show my work in galleries and museums.

I feel very lucky that I discovered art when I did, and, because I never had any formal training, that I came into it without many preconceived notions about what it meant to make art or be an artist. Of course, I am influenced by other artists and genres of art, but I was able to develop my own style over time without being bogged down by “shoulds” or external expectations. I do think that spirit has helped me and freed me to develop my own style and, at the same time, continue to evolve my work in new and different ways. I am very drawn to a distinct bright color palette and my work is often described as “joyful”. In a world where artists are told that in order to be taken seriously they must make work about suffering, making work that is joyful feels like a radical act. Of course, I also make work that is political and often subversive, but my approach is really driven by making commentary on the human condition that comes from a different place. I am not inhibited by that.

Your artwork is known for its vibrant colors, inspiring messages, and playful patterns. Tell us about your creative process and what it was like working on this project.

I watched or read about each opera and read as much as I could about the symbolism in each story. My work relies heavily on symbols, so this project was right up my alley. How do we convey the mood or story of the opera in one single image? It’s not easy, but the process of getting there is really enjoyable for me. I always begin with a color palette, and I love using very limited palettes. When I worked on this set of poster designs, I started with Portland Opera’s brand palette, and then we talked about the mood of each of the operas, and I added colors that would evoke that mood. I also wanted each of the posters to play together, so I used a consistent palette. For example, you’ll see the same blues, the same yellows and the same reds and pinks in each poster. I also used hand lettering styles and some other decorative elements (like the dots) that flow through each of the pieces. Building a body of work that hangs together is one of the most fun parts of what I do!

Portland Opera’s 24/25 season is rich with storytelling. How did you incorporate key characters and narrative elements into the artwork? Which piece was the most challenging from the season and why?

As I mentioned, my work relies more on symbols and elements in the story rather than developing “characters”. So instead of focusing on “what does Falstaff” look like or “what does Shizue look like”, and highlighting the characters, I focused on the narrative. So, I would ask, what are the key visual elements in each opera that influence the story? In Falstaff, the exchange of letters felt really important. In Shizue (An American Story), the ikebana arrangement felt central. In The Shining, I focused on the stairwell inside of the hotel and the typewriter as the key symbols and found a way to weave them together. Hands down, The Shining was the most difficult! And in some ways, that was because there is so much symbolism in that story! I had so much to choose from. But not all symbols make an attractive poster design. So you have to choose symbols that make sense to the story, but that will also be pleasing to the eye. It’s sometimes challenging to find the right concept.

Which are you most proud of and why?

As part of this project, I got to create an 60^th anniversary poster that used visual elements from the designs I created for the season’s operas and elements that represented the opera as a genre and Portland as a city. Creating this piece was the most fun, and it’s also the design I love the most!

Your work often features hand-lettering. What inspired the typography style for Portland Opera’s season artwork?

Hand lettering is an integral part of my visual vocabulary, and so I was excited to have the opportunity to use it in the work I did. I do think many people think of opera as a stodgy, traditional art form, and I wanted to infuse a more edgy, modern style. Lettering is always a way to elevate the look of something and a way to change perception.

You’ve worked on collaborations with high profile brands such as Target, Google, Brooks Running, Underwood Wine Company, and many others. Do you see yourself pursuing more collaborations with performing arts partners in the future?

I love doing work in the arts! And I love doing poster design. I am lucky that I do not have to pursue projects. Typically, I do a project like the one I did for the Portland Opera, and then I post it on social media or my portfolio, and the next thing I know, I am getting inquiries from other similar clients! It is definitely a privilege to be in a place in my career where such incredible opportunities come my way.

What’s next for you?

I am a competitive bike racer, and after 50 years of being an athlete, I have done lots of damage to my poor knees. So right now I am focusing on finishing up a handful of illustration and design projects so that I can take time off to have surgery on both my knees this autumn. I am looking forward to taking time away from both work and cycling to focus on healing, rest and, hopefully, some new creative inspiration while I convalesce that will take me into 2025.

Explore more about Lisa Congdon's impressive work and portfolio here.