about


Alisa Burke is a freelance painter and mixed media artist who studied fine art at Portland State University. With a background in painting and printmaking, a desire to explore and push materials, Alisa is always looking for new ways to break the rules and redefine art.  She draws inspiration from street art, graffiti, art history and fashion and it is not uncommon to find her digging through the trash in hopes of recycling something unique to use in her artwork.

Alisa had a desire to be an artist since she was a very young girl. As the child of fine artists who worked from home, she grew up in an environment surrounded by energetic creativity.  Against this artistic backdrop, Alisa became accustomed to the notion that running a creative business from ones household was a natural way of life; and an attainable one as well. 

Growing up, she developed her skills with numerous drawing classes and enjoyed nightly creative sprees at the kitchen table.  As an adolescent, Alisa participated in various art shows, contests and sold her work at craft fairs. It wasn't until she graduated from high school that the pathway to becoming a full-time artist became a reality. While Alisa had always loved the creative process and identified herself as an artist, she fell in love with the notion in college. The exposure to Art History and the thrilling exchange of ideas sold her on the charms of dedicating herself to the creative life. From that point on, there was no going back on her dream of pursuing a career in the arts. 

Like most, she worked many day jobs while at the same time showing her art, taking on freelance jobs, and building up her portfolio.  Alisa landed a marketing position at the University of San Diego that allowed her to utilize her creative skills.  However, the position did not satisfy her craving to make art on her own terms.  After this realization, Alisa set out to quit her job and pursue her dream full-time.  After a long five-year process of inching forward and building her creative business from the ground up, she finally came to the point of supporting herself with her artwork.  After long hours at her day job, plenty of rejection, tears and frustration, Alisa was finally able to make her dream a reality.  Through persistence and hard work, she was able to achieve her long term goal of creative and financial independence.  Alisa quit her job in 2009 and never looked back.

When Alisa and her husband, Andy, decided to start a family, they knew that they had to act on their long term goal of leaving Southern California for the rugged fringes of the Oregon Coast.  A native of the Pacific Northwest, Alisa longed for the simplicity, beauty, and inspiration of her former hometown.  A desire to simplify their lifestyle and focus on raising their daughter spurred this plan into action; and in 2012 they planned, saved, and worked hard to build Alisa’s business.  After careful planning, Andy quit his job as a structural engineer to become a stay at home dad.  Shortly after, they packed up their belongings and strapped 1-year-old Lucy into the car seat and embarked upon a journey to a small town on the Oregon Coast where they now reside. 

Alisa’s paintings have been exhibited in a variety of galleries and her handmade, painted accessories are carried in a number of boutiques across the country. Her artwork has been featured in numerous publications and media outlets such as Better Homes & Gardens, The Huffington Post, Buzz Feed, TLC, HGTV, Bon Appetit, Apartment Therapy, Reader’s Digest, Craft, Brit Picks, Disney and more.  In addition to creating art, Alisa currently teaches a variety of workshops nationwide and has worked as a Bernina Artisan. Alisa appeared as a guest artist on the DIY Network show Craft Lab and Quilting Arts TV on PBS. Her first book, Canvas Remix, was released in the spring of 2008 followed by her second book, Sew Wild, released in August 2011.  Alisa latest endeavor is the newly launched “Heart to Art Remix” fashion accessory line with Demdaco.

20 comments:

Apricot Andie said...

Your story is inspiring! I work in marketing now, have a little girl named Lucy and my maiden name is Burke. haha! I hope to leave my marketing job so I can create full time! Thank you for sharing!

Mama Ray said...

Greetings!

Just want to tell you how much finding your blog means tome. A homeschooling mother of two and frustrated artist. My husband and i imagined ourselves living the way you are with your fam BUT we did not stay true to that vision. 17 years later, kids now 10 & 13, you have given us knew inspiration and the push to still create as a family. Thanks so much and will keep you posted on our new adventures. Ray Wright in Washington, DC

Connie said...

Do you have a "sketch into Fall"?

Christy said...

You are an amazing inspiration to me!

Unknown said...

Wonderful :) I'd love to observe your work. I found it very optimistic and creative. Greetings from Poland!

Shirley Raymond said...

Hi Alisa
I've made two of your storage bags and both are flops, urgh. Any chance you could email me the measurements of your bags? Height/width of canvas and the measurements of the side triangle stitched area too?? Would be really helpful! Not sure what I'm doing wrong! Scottandshirley@vodafone.co.nz thanks heaps -Shirley

jennerwren said...

Hi!
I checked your blog for weeks to see who won your stamp giveaway. Then, Christmas, etc. Who won? Thx!

Mayalen said...

¡I would like to be like you!. I was an artists (many years ago) but now only work like teacher. One creative an good art teacher, i love this job but I think that i want to do a radical change. may be I am lazy and I feel fear. Your blog, your photograph and you smile I feel happy. Thank you for all.

kseedfaith said...

Hi Alisa! Love your blog and your work!! Question : I'm trying to make art a priority in our homeschool this year and we've been painting, simple kids projects and everyone is having fun , but I have a 5 year old who inevitably just mixes all his colors together into a huge muddy mess. I've tried keeping colors separate various ways, talking to him about color, and showing him examples, but near the end of every project, the mixing begins and... muddy mess. I give the kids lots of freedom and prefer to let them self-direct because I don't want to squash creativity, only talking nonchalantley about concepts, methods, etc... any other advice for my mud maker? Should I just continue letting him mix till his hearts content, or should I try to bring more "order" ? #strivingtonurture

kseedfaith said...

Hi Alisa! Love your blog and your work!! Question : I'm trying to make art a priority in our homeschool this year and we've been painting, simple kids projects and everyone is having fun , but I have a 5 year old who inevitably just mixes all his colors together into a huge muddy mess. I've tried keeping colors separate various ways, talking to him about color, and showing him examples, but near the end of every project, the mixing begins and... muddy mess. I give the kids lots of freedom and prefer to let them self-direct because I don't want to squash creativity, only talking nonchalantley about concepts, methods, etc... any other advice for my mud maker? Should I just continue letting him mix till his hearts content, or should I try to bring more "order" ? #strivingtonurture

Anonymous said...

Hello Alisa.
For several years I have your blog and I'm a big fan of your work. You are for me a great source of inspiration.
Your artistic way, and your creativity brings me a lot and helps me keep my desire to create and move forward.

I am an artist who writes a blog for a year and your advice helped me a lot ...
These are some of the many reasons that pushed me to nominate you Liebster Award ..
If it tells you to participate in your turn, I invite you here: https://missliztydeco.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/1067/
soon I hope
Christelle

Aubrey said...

Alisa- I love your colorful life!! I was wondering if you've ever thought of doing a home tour?? I'd love to see how you incorporate all of that color in your home decorations. :)

StarS said...

Alisa - I started your Blog Class a few weeks ago and have been inspired to make my own. Would I be able to put a link to this blog for my Exception Sites List? I would love to share all your fabulous goodness with everyone I can! Please let me know at Schloneger@aol.com. Thank you for your consideration. StarS!

Claudette Woodworth said...

Hi, Alisa....I happened upon this blogpost today and was surprised. I'm not sure how to correct a situation. I have been subscribed to your blog for over a year now. I always receive the class schedule notifications, which I was looking into today, but surprisingly never receive these updated blogging posts and thought you no longer blogged. So today I found out that you do indeed have a wonderful ongoing blog that I don't get in my lemondropfilms@aol.com mail box! I thought to myself....well, maybe I'm really not subscribed to these postings and that class postings come from a different source. But, I went in to subscribe just now and I am, indeed active. So....quandary.....Don't how to rectify this conundrum....Any insight would be helpful....I clear my Spam box on an updated basis....The posts don't go there.....Thanks, so much, for looking into this for me.....Appreciatively, Claudette

Lois said...

Just came across your wonderful site. I can see how budding artists or artists that never were able to get to *your place* can live vicariously through you! That includes me, too!! Glad I found your site and also glad I signed up!!

Phoenix said...

Greetings from Ashland, Oregon, found your page today, whoa you are lots of creativity, blessings to you, you make everyone's path so much easier, thanks for all your sharing and all your tips, will be back! Blessings Phoenix, Elder Mountain

Jill Wiley said...

What an awesome story. I love hearing how you continued to follow your dream!

April said...

Love your story, I want to make art the center of my life, right now it seems a bit hard as i haven't had much time with caring for my siblings, school,etc however I'm slowly sorting stuff out so i can do art as often as i can, it's a lifeline to me & heaps of my friends.
I always loved painting and making different stuff, i stopped doing it though for about two years after a personal situation.. One of my friends convinced me to start it up again - it's been a year and i'm never going to stop again:). I'm a optimistic teen, and i'm right now decorating my room to show my hippie/boho personality as much as i can while sharing a room with one of my siblings (who isn't at into that stuff much).
Thanks for sharing your story! we all should always follow our dreams

Unknown said...

Dear Alisa, please consider selling tee shirts with your We Rise. It speaks to me and I know it speaks to many of our sisters. I would rather you get the money for your creation than some who might boot leg the image. I would order 4 large women size $30 each! (Or more for you to make a profit).
Susan Clark
North East Tennessee
Chefsuze@chefsuze.com

Julia said...

Thankyou for sharing the story of how you got to this point... I am always curious about how people make that transition from day job to running your own creative business.

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