Teaching Philosophy and Practice
I have been an exhibiting artist since 1979 and received my MFA in Painting from Bard College in 1983. My practice is rooted in abstraction, material exploration, and a continuing curiosity about how meaning develops through process.
I began teaching more than 25 years ago, after many years of supporting my studio practice by waiting tables. That experience taught me patience, adaptability, and how to communicate with all kinds of people—skills that continue to shape the way I teach.
My workshops are experimental, energetic, and grounded in serious studio practice. Through demonstrations, focused exercises, presentations, individual conversations, and group critiques, I encourage artists to take risks and pay close attention to what happens as they work. We explore color, composition, mark making, materials, and technique, but we also look beyond the formal aspects of making. I want students to understand what holds meaning for them and to develop a visual language that feels genuinely their own.
Personal attention is central to my teaching. I work with each artist individually, offering honest and constructive feedback while respecting the particular questions, challenges, and possibilities within their work. My goal is not to lead everyone toward the same result, but to help each person see their work more clearly and recognize what may be asking to happen next.
I teach workshops throughout the United States and Europe and have taught at Penland School of Crafts, PaintSpace NOLA, Sedona Arts Center, North Country Studio Workshops, and many other art centers. I have also been a guest artist at colleges and universities, including Pratt Institute and Western Michigan University.
Teaching keeps me connected to the larger art community and continually brings new energy to my own studio practice. Every class is different, and I continue to learn from the artists who come to work with me.
Lisa Pressman is a model of what a teacher can bring to the table for students. I have seen her teach, and I’m in awe of her ability to bring out the best. It also says a great deal that other teachers take her workshops. No one–no one–who takes a few workshops and then turns around to teach could come close to what a seasoned, generous and brilliant teacher like Lisa has to offer. Why would any student want to settle for less?
Joanne Mattera, painter, founder/director of the International Encaustic Conference
Testimonials
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Lisa Pressman is a model of what a teacher can bring to the table for students. I have seen her teach, and I’m in awe of her ability to bring out the best. It also says a great deal that other teachers take her workshops. No one–no one–who takes a few workshops and then turns around to teach could come close to what a seasoned, generous and brilliant teacher like Lisa has to offer. Why would any student want to settle for less?
Joanne Mattera, painter, founder/director of the International Encaustic Conference
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Lisa was a big help when I was rethinking my approach communicating about my work to the wider world. I needed fresh eyes on my images and she brought some excellent perspective. She was present, engaged, and generous – as well as, importantly, straightforward and grounded. I ended up with some practical tools and some helpful insight, both of which I have put to use since.
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Since the workshop I hired Lisa for mentoring. She has helped me pull my art business together and put forth a more professional face to everything. Because of her and other people she has put me in touch with, my business has grown monumentally in a very short time. We also work on the painting aspect, but tying up the loose ends of the business side has been a big boost to my career.
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Lisa Pressman is an accomplished artist and talented instructor. I’ve participated in several workshops with Lisa and also in her individual mentoring program. I’m amazed by her ebullient freedom with materials and techniques that I take away from her unique instruction, but also her ability to push me to the next level. She compels me to examine my work and myself as an artist, and has given me the perspective I’ve needed to strengthen my creative practice and growth as a painter. Lisa’s wealth of knowledge, critical eye and generous guidance has shown me my own potential.
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I came to Lisa Pressman with a specific set of goals in mind that I wanted to address in my art and my art career goals and she was a wonderful soundboard and guide. I really appreciated the way she looked at my work and my goals and helped me hone in on what is essential to my visual voice, as well as pushing me to really think and delve further. Months later, I am still referring to my notes I took during our sessions and our email exchanges. Doing the mentorship with Lisa was like being given a toolbox full of resources and reflections that I have taken with me and will keep with me for a long time.
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Mentoring with Lisa Pressman has done more for my art, and my art career than I had ever hoped for. Within months of beginning our work together I was being represented by two new galleries, had a website I was very proud of and had a more focused and deeper understanding of my work and my identity as an artist. She is a sage sounding board offering priceless wisdom garnered from her many years of experience. Working with her has been the best decision I ever could have made for the success of my journey as an artist.
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I have taken several workshops from Lisa Pressman and have always come away with a better understanding of the materials used as well as a fresh sense of where I’m going with my own art making. She is an intuitive instructor, adapting her lessons to meet the needs of her students. Individual attention is one of her strengths. She allows ample time for exploration as we discover new techniques and methods for approaching our work. As a mentor, Lisa has helped me take my studio practice to the next level. Her questions are thought-provoking and individualized; her answers to my questions are honest and reliable. She is a valuable resource whether I’m updating my website, preparing for an art show, or contemplating a new body of work. Her humorous yet straight-forward approach is exactly what I need.”
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What a delight to write about Lisa Pressman. I’ve taken three workshops with her and worked with her as a mentor while transitioning from realistic to abstract painting. Lisa is an incredibly gifted artist and a skillful teacher who truly listens, respects individuality, and offers invaluable insights to help you see, articulate, and improve your work. She balances support with honest critique, providing solutions to get “unstuck” and encouraging you to develop your own voice and process. Her guidance ensures your work looks like yours, not hers—and she makes it fun with her great sense of humor.
As a mentor, Lisa helped me prepare a cohesive and compelling body of work for an exhibition spanning 150 linear feet of gallery space. Over the course of a year, she guided me through critical decisions, problem-solving, and self-assessment. Her thoughtful critiques, encouragement, and humor made the process manageable and rewarding. Thanks to Lisa, I created the most cohesive, well-received artwork of my career.
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Lisa Pressman’s workshops are a breath of fresh air for my studio practice. They provide perspective, freedom, and a way to break free from creative staleness. During her workshops, I trust Lisa completely as she guides us through drawing and seeing exercises while offering a rich variety of mediums and pigments. This openness allows me to tap into an exciting energy, leaving my need for control at the door. It often takes days to fully assess my work, but I always come away with a series of transformative paintings that revitalize my practice.
As a mentor, Lisa was instrumental in helping me find intent and clarity in my work. Struggling to define my own vision felt isolating, but Lisa guided me with patience and insight, helping me uncover a genuine visual vocabulary true to who I am as an artist. Her kindness, generosity, and success as an artist set her apart. Choosing Lisa was one of the best investments I’ve made, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her. She has been pivotal to my growth and studio practice.
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My first workshop with Lisa was actually an accident—I’d signed up for her R&F Pigment Stick class, thinking it was an encaustic class! Luckily, it turned out to be a happy mistake. I discovered a new medium, expanded my understanding of color, design, and painting techniques, and gained valuable insights into building surfaces and pushing through creative blocks. Lisa’s demos were informative and tailored to the group’s needs, but her one-on-one feedback was truly transformative. She once joked that encaustic might not be my medium—I laughed then, but now Pigment Sticks and cold wax are all I use. I can’t wait to take another class with her—hopefully the right one this time!
Jenna Jerman
