Voyage LA Article April 2019

photo by Perry Gallagher
Lindsay, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you
are today.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I grew up on the west side, attended Crossroads. I always drew and
painted since I was a child. I was fortunate to take art lessons and was an art major in High school. I won a
scholarship for life drawing at Pasadena Art center (now called Art Center) in high school. I went to TISH
undergrad and Slade School of Art for graduate school in London, UK. At the time I attended graduate
school there were only two places in the world that had full-time life rooms, and The Slade was one of
them. I have always been a figurative painter and always held a strong relationship to the visible world
around me.
I lost my second child to Trisomy 13 and got divorced a couple of years after that. I started a nonprofit in
Santa Monica feeling the homeless called Feed Your Soul. Feed Your Soul helped feed thousands
throughout California and also provided help with rent for section 8 individuals who could not afford to
save for a rental deposit. Feed Your Soul worked closely with OPCC a long-standing organization in Santa
Monica and worthy organization.
I also designed a clothing line and worked in Finance for a couple of years to help pay the bills.
Has it been a smooth road?
I am now working as a full-time artist. I answered this on part in the last section. I got divorced, have two
boys who live with me full time. I am only now able to paint full time and am trying to make a living at it.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on.
What else should we know?
I am a classically trained artist. I have painted and drawn my whole life and I work in several mediums. I
find it very frustrating that society wants to pigeon hole a person in categories as if I only have one thing
to say! I use the medium I feel best suits what I am trying to say in that piece. I use Oils for life painting
and more classical styles. I use Pastels for more drawing techniques, I love them for Still Lifes. I use
Watercolors for fun flowing styles and lighter subjects. I have fallen in love with Egg Tempera and am
constantly exploring new ways to push this medium. Every time I approach a new painting I feel I am
exploring and figuring out how to paint it. If I did not have this feeling, I would be bored, painting for me is
both problems solving and exploration. I do not ever was to feel like I have it all figured out! My art needs
to feel dynamic.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I am an Angelina! I love LA for so many things, we are blessed with a wonderful climate and dynamic
society. I have lived in places where it is not so easy to move in different social circles, Los Angeles is
definitely a place that accepts you as you are and who you want to be! I love the open and accepting culture
the younger generations are even more open than when I grew up and I find this very exciting and full of
hope.
Los Angeles defiantly has a culture and style all its own, a casual self-assuredness that is unique. My only
complaint is that what makes us great also is limiting, in London, there is a huge tradition of painting that
goes back hundreds of years. I felt my artwork was better understood in that context in Europe, especially
the UK than it is in Los Angeles. I wanted to add that I have taken up Pole Dance in the last couple of years
as a hobby and feel that it is a great self-empowering sport for women (men too). I have been competing
and won a couple of Gold Medas so far! Only in LA!
Contact Info:
- Website: Lindsayhirsch.com
- Phone: 3106122541
- Email: Lhpaint@aol.com