Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Marie.
Hi Lisa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I don’t think I became an artist because I wanted to make things—I think I became an artist because I wanted to remember things.
I’ve always been fascinated by the moments people overlook: the feeling of an old VHS tape, the comfort of putting on a hoodie, places that quietly hold memories, or the strange nostalgia that appears when you walk into a room and it reminds you of another time. I’m less interested in documenting objects than I am in preserving emotions.
Photography was the first language I found. It gave me a way to tell stories and eventually led me into the music and entertainment world, where I photographed artists and worked in fast-paced creative environments. It taught me a lot about storytelling, but it also taught me how easy it is to tie your creativity to algorithms, engagement, and constantly chasing the next thing. After years of that—and especially after the pandemic—I found myself creatively burned out.
During lockdown, I picked up painting and started experimenting with clothing, canvases, and handmade pieces. That eventually became a business. I began vending at art shows, launched my own LLC, and realized I loved creating objects that people could live with, not just look at.
Since then, my work has continued to evolve. I’ve spent time asking bigger questions about identity, memory, comfort, and what connects us to our younger selves. Those questions have become just as important as the artwork itself.
Today, I’m building toward work that feels nostalgic but philosophical. Whether it’s photography, clothing, or another medium, I want to create pieces that feel familiar enough to make someone smile, then stay with them long enough to make them reflect.
At the heart of everything I make is one idea: creating work that feeds the inner child while giving the adult something meaningful to hold onto.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
One of my biggest challenges has been separating my worth as an artist from the validation that comes with social media. Early in my photography career, I worked with musicians and creatives in Los Angeles, and I learned pretty quickly that if you’re not constantly posting or staying visible, people move on. Over time, I started measuring the value of my work by engagement instead of by how it made me feel. That eventually led to creative burnout.
Then the pandemic changed everything. The environment I had built my photography career around disappeared almost overnight, which forced me to step back and ask myself what I actually enjoyed creating. During that time, I began painting, designing clothing, and vending at local art shows. It reminded me that I loved making things with my hands and building experiences that people could connect with.
Like many creatives, I’ve also experienced setbacks outside of art. I was laid off from my corporate job, and a creative partnership with a close friend eventually came to an end. Those experiences were difficult, but they also gave me time to reflect on what kind of artist I wanted to become.
Looking back, I realize the biggest challenge wasn’t any single event—it was learning to trust my own creative voice instead of chasing what I thought other people wanted to see. I’m still growing, but today I create from a much more intentional place. My goal is to make work that feels honest, nostalgic, and meaningful rather than simply trying to keep up with trends.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a multidisciplinary artist who uses photography, clothing, and design to explore memory, nostalgia, and the emotional experiences that connect us. Rather than limiting myself to one medium, I like to let the idea determine the form it takes. Some concepts become photographs, others become wearable pieces, and some may eventually become paintings or installations.
The thread that ties all of my work together is creating moments of recognition. I’m interested in the feeling when someone sees something and says, “Oh yeah… I remember that.” Whether it’s through imagery, textures, symbols, or everyday objects, I want my work to reconnect people with parts of themselves they may have forgotten.
Lately, I’ve been describing my work as “nostalgic but philosophical.” I love playful references to childhood and pop culture, but I’m equally interested in exploring bigger ideas like identity, comfort, balance, and the inner child. My goal isn’t just to make something visually appealing—it’s to create work that starts a conversation with the person experiencing it.
One of the things I’m most proud of is allowing myself to evolve instead of staying attached to one identity. Photography introduced me to storytelling, but over time I’ve expanded into painting, clothing, and design because each medium offers a different way to express an idea. That willingness to keep growing has become one of my greatest strengths.
I think what sets my work apart is that I’m less interested in making products than I am in creating experiences. Whether someone is looking at one of my photographs or wearing one of my designs, I want them to feel something familiar, comforting, and reflective—as if they’ve rediscovered a memory they didn’t realize they still carried with them.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I draw inspiration from a mix of books, photography, music, and simply paying attention to everyday life. Some of my best ideas come from walking through a neighborhood, visiting a thrift store, flipping through old magazines, or noticing the feeling a place gives me. I’m fascinated by nostalgia and the memories that ordinary objects and spaces can hold.
For staying organized, I use Procreate to develop ideas and layouts, and I’ve recently started using Day One as a place to capture thoughts, observations, and moments I don’t want to forget. Those notes often become the starting point for future creative projects.
I’m also constantly inspired by conversations with other creatives and by exploring different mediums. Whether it’s photography, clothing, or painting, I try to stay curious and let ideas evolve naturally rather than forcing them into one format.
More than any single resource, I’ve learned that slowing down and paying attention is one of the most valuable creative practices I have.
Contact Info:
Website: www.lmpstudio.squarespace.com
Instagram: @_lmpstudio_
Image Credits
All images were shot and edited by me, Lisa Marie of LMP Studio
1. @darklyb3autiful is the woman in the shot
2. Me (Lisa-Marie)
3. A Kid participating in the drum circle at Leimert Park Juneteenth 2026
4. Tonya “Sweets” Dobbs is the woman standing on the rock
5. Me (Lisa-Marie)
6. Lil’ Wayne “I’m Still Music Tour’ Chicago, Illinois
7. ‘Strom Rolling In’ by me, Lisa Marie
8. ‘Sun Kissed’ by me, Lisa Marie
9. Me (Lisa-Marie), Holbrook, Arizona
10. Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids ’20/20 Experience World Tour Los Angeles
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