Eyes painted on windows reveal the soul of the artist

Photo of art courtesy of Two Vaults

‘I AM BRAVE.’ In this piece Lulu painted on wood and allowed its natural grain at give texture and depth. She wrote these words about “I Am Brave” – “To reconstitute yourself after you’ve been broken apart is what courage is all about.”

Stroll past Two Vaults Gallery at Sixth and Fawcett downtown and you may feel as if you are being watched. That is because the gallery’s current featured artist, Lulu, has more than a dozen new paintings on the walls and in the front display windows, and with Lulu’s works it is all about the eyes.

Appropriately titled “The Eyes Have It,” this exhibit opened for Third Thursday Art Walk March 19 and drew a nice-sized crowd, many of whom came to meet the affable painter. The artist certainly has a knack for capturing profound expressions in the eyes of her subjects, and it is this particular talent, borne on her deep sensitivity, that elicits lots of ooo’s and ahh’s from onlookers.

Rather than paint on traditional canvases, Lulu paints on distressed windowpanes, antique boxes and glass tables she finds on dumpster-diving expeditions. The faces she creates are reflections of her dreams. Painting them so that they appear to be looking through the glass, Lulu’s striking visages seem to peer out from behind parted curtains or from within darkened rooms, thus instilling a sense of expectation, drama, and mystery for the viewer. Many of her works are of ethnic faces, adding a whole other layer of meaning to her portraits. By mixing ingredients like sawdust and loose canvas strings into the paint, the artist creates texture and depth.

What is even more impressive is that Lulu taught herself to paint, mostly by hanging out with other artists. Eschewing formal training, by watching, asking questions, and allowing herself to make mistakes, the artist has developed her unique style over the past 10 years and earned herself a place among the best of Puget Sound artists.

“Don’t be afraid to just get in there and do it,” Lulu advises those who, like her, also feel that organic urge to make art but may lack the schooling. This is exactly what she did after she was injured in a car accident years ago. When she received the sobering news that it would take her three years to learn how to walk again, she experienced a cathartic moment.

“It made me ask myself questions like, ‘what have you always wanted to do with your life?’ I threw my hands up in the air and said, ‘that’s it. I have to paint.’” She said the dream to express herself with paint and brushes was there inside of her for a very long time. “It always was, and I knew that.”

Lulu was sickened by lead poisoning not long ago and spent a lot of time recuperating. She also suffers from multiple sclerosis, which sometimes affects her ability to make art but does not stop her by any means. For Lulu, “Carpe diem” is more than just a saying; it has become her way of life and she encourages others to be as unafraid as she. “Honest to God, you never know. Like, I may not make it home tonight. You just never know.

“If you have a passion for something, just grab onto it.”

“The Eyes Have It” show will remain on view until April 11, but Two Vaults will continue to carry Lulu’s works as her gallery representative so stop by anytime and have a look. Each piece is for sale, and some have sold very quickly. Two Vaults is located at 602 S. Fawcett Ave. The gallery is open weekdays by noon and closed Sunday and Monday. For more information on the many artists featured, visit http://www.twovaults.com, or call (253) 759-6223.

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