We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lisa Goesling. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lisa below.
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?
That is a good question. I believe it is part of my nature, perhaps it comes from unconsciously studying people’s behavior growing up. There were always extra people hanging around our home in addition to my four siblings, parents, and grandparents. I remember my Great Aunt Florence telling me that it was uncanny how I knew that my Papa wasn’t well, even at a very young age. She said she’d watch me, and I would always gravitate to the one person in the room who most needed some love. I would quietly make my way over to them and climb on their lap and lay my head on their shoulder. My Papa was very sick when I was a child, and he so appreciated those hugs. It was heartbreaking for me when he passed, I was only thirteen but remember people talking about him as being so kind. I recall thinking, that is how I want people to talk about me some day. I knew then as I know now, being kind was going to be what drove me, not making money. If someone describes another person in those terms, that is my idea of success.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My passion for creating art started early. I remember being five years old selling handmade coloring books from a small table out in front of my house. The neighborhood kids would line up to purchase the books and then I’d run back inside to make more. Those same characters from my coloring books still show up in my INTER/ACTION series. At twelve, I began taking weekend classes in drawing, sculpture and painting at SAIC (School of the Art Institute Chicago). Concerned that I needed to make a living, I ultimately chose to major in Graphic Design and worked through the years as an Art Director and Designer. A 2006 cancer diagnosis gave me clarity about how I wanted to spend whatever time I had left. I gave myself permission to follow my dream of being a full-time artist and went on a search for a non-toxic material and discovered Scratchbord® by Ampersand. These boards covered in India ink and Clay are the perfect medium for me. I spend hours drawing detailed images with my X-ACTO knife, etching into the layer of ink as my images ‘magically’ appear in clay. If I want to add color, I fill in my lines by painting with colored inks. I tell people that the same wonder they experience standing before my art is exactly how I feel watching my creations spontaneously evolve. It takes a certain amount of artistic courage to jump into a piece without any idea where it might lead. I find it empowering.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I come from a family of overachievers. My father was an attorney, my mother a fashion illustrator, my sister is a doctor, two brothers are attorneys, and another is an economist. I wake up every day excited to dive into my art, that shows up in every one of my creations, especially my favorite ones…my adult daughters. I’ve taught them to trust themselves, and when they make a mistake, learn something from it, that’s why we are here. When my Dad was dying, he told me, pay close attention how you make your way through this world. All you have left in the end is your integrity.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I would have to say that my husband has been the most instrumental in helping me to overcome challenges. When I face hard choices regarding my life/career, he has always been my voice of reason, reminding me to choose the path that most aligns with who I want to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lisagoesling.com
- Instagram: #lgoesling
- Linkedin: Lisa Goesling
Image Credits
Head Shot Photographer: Gabriela Guganovic of Gabriela Fine Art Photography. Photo of Me Leaning On Art: Photographer: Bruce Starrenburg
