LSJ in the Studio
I have always found community in art. I am fortunate to have spent over thirty years creating arts experiences for all ages and abilities as a teacher and artist. I find myself at another juncture in my journey as an artist. My move to Tucson, AZ has opened up my return to making art full time.
Today I am back to making functional and sculptural hand-built ceramics. My color palette is inspired by the Sonoran Desert and the Southwest - red clay, turquoise glaze, cactus green slips and underglazes. Telling a story through my art has always been important. The sometimes funny and always vulnerable people and animals who were the subjects of my earlier work have been replaced with carved and textured desert flora and fauna - cactus vessels, coyote and javelina lidded jars, and painted Dia de los Muertos plates and sculptures. When I’m not in the studio, you can find me with family or exploring the trails for inspiration.
Please reach out if you would like to talk about my work, make a purchase, discuss a commission project, or to inquire about contracting with me to teach classes.
About the artist
I am the LSJ in LSJ Arts….Lisa Stelling-Jokisch. Welcome to my website. I am a clay artist, painter, drawer, and teacher. Clay has played an integral role in my adult life. I knew clay would be a central part of my life after enrolling in my first clay class as an undergraduate student studying under Megan Quinn at Augustana College in the Quad Cities. Before clay there was drawing and painting, they were my foundation in surface design, texture, and creating narrative in my art work.
I continued my arts education at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) receiving my MFA in Ceramics and a minor in Drawing. Artists that influenced me at SIUE include Dan Anderson, Paul Dresang, Susan Bostwick, Tom Gipe, and Diane Driessen.
My career in the arts has run the gamut of mediums and creative outlets. I have produced murals through a small not for profit; worked at a large highly respected arts institution, The St. Louis Art Museum, displayed my work at numerous galleries, and have spent many hours at art fairs showing and selling my work.