Lisa Nitsche is a Vienna-based artist, writer, and mother. She has been creating art since her early childhood. At the end of 2021, she took the leap to do it professionally. In a relatively short time, she has already had two solo exhibitions in Germany. The majority of her paintings are owned by private clients from the United States, Germany, and Austria. She is now involved in cooperative projects in Vienna. In this chat, we explore the joy of motherhood, the business of art, spirituality, and redefined success.
FAB: You had your first solo exhibition shortly after the birth of your daughter. What was the experience like? How did motherhood influence your artistic process during that time?
Lisa Nitsche: Motherhood is a great gift to me, and it has made me more of a strong and emotional woman. After giving birth, of course, I took some time to rest, but I came out stronger than before. Becoming a mother changes a woman, and it is also reflected in my art. I lead a quiet life, and it gives me a lot of freedom because I only take opportunities that are good feats. I’m not trying to build my career against all odds. I’d rather choose things that are of value, and things that are of balance which will give me a peaceful and good life.
Everyone defines success differently. For me, it is when I have enough time for my family and still have value, do good things for myself, and also be able to pursue my career as an artist. I see my artistic endeavours as a lifelong pursuit. I don’t try to get to them too quickly. As an artist, it’s always going to be part of you, so I want to make art my whole life. The exhibition came after I gave birth to my child in October. It was so beautiful because it was a good opportunity, and everything fell into place nicely. My daughter was with me there. It was beautiful and peaceful.
Success is When I Have Enough Time for My Family
Lisa Nitsche
FAB: Success is having enough time for your family. How do you balance that with your creative pursuit, really?
Lisa Nitsche: Art and mothering are correlated in the sense that, plenty of times, our society doesn’t look at it as something unique or worthy, but I do find great value in it. For me, I think it’s the value I give them. They are such a significant value. I make the time for it. As soon as my daughter goes to bed, I dive into my art.
I’m not a full-time artist yet, but I’m working on it. I only want to do it when I can do it more comfortably. I would rather not be pressured to create art. I need my art to be free. Sometimes I paint, and I require it to sit for a while. When I feel the time is right and I feel the inspiration to continue, I add another layer. I think it’s important for me to have the space and time. I don’t want to have to push myself to create what other people want me to create.
FAB: As a part-time artist, what are the things you do?
Lisa Nitsche: Right now, I’m still on maternity leave for my daughter. It ends in July, but I have some opportunities lined up. I was a real estate agent before, in Germany. I can’t do that any more because of my daughter, but I have some opportunities lined up. There will be something coming up soon.
FAB: I understand that you’re a very spiritual person. How has your spirituality shaped your artistic path?
Lisa Nitsche: Firstly, I don’t think I would be an artist who’s so bold with my work if it wasn’t for my faith. Before I discovered my spirituality and delved deep into it, I did what I was asked to do. I studied, I worked for a big company, and I was in the system. When I dove into my spirituality, I got a calling to start exploring and refining my art skills. I am so happy I obeyed the calling because, without my faith, I would have kept running in the system.
FAB: Your calling metamorphosed into you exploring very salient themes in your work, which include the themes of hope and endurance. What do these themes mean to you personally?
Lisa Nitsche: If you live long enough, you’re going to experience something tragic. I found in my faith and hope that something beautiful can be made of tragic pasts. There’s redemption. I am deeply grateful for heaven; it gives me hope. To see the redemptive side of God is a two-way relationship, and I’m grateful for how things are going. I’m grateful for redemption because it has turned the bad side of my life into something good. I had plenty of negative things in my life. I was depressed for almost six years; it was a very dark phase. I didn’t want to live like that. Now, I’m on the other side. I never thought it was going to be possible to be where I am now. It’s much better than I could have imagined.
FAB: You pray before starting a new job. Is there anything else you do in your creative process apart from praying?
Lisa Nitsche: Praying is a common thing with believers. It might be uncommon for others. I know many believers who pray to be used as God’s vessel, just like I do. It’s funny, but I also connect to my child. She brings so much fun and joy. I draw with my daughter. She loves all these books, so we read together. She sees the stories, but I see the colour palette, and I see the lights. It’s very inspiring for me, and it gives me joy. Besides that, I love nature. I go out in nature. If you look deep into God’s creations—the flowers and the insects—they are all just so beautiful. I think at some point every human being has seen a magnificent sunrise or sunset, and it’s just so amazing. I take time to look at those things, and that’s very inspiring for me.
FAB: How’s it going with your Mama project?
Lisa Nitsche: It’s a wonderful opportunity. I met the owner, and we connected instantly. It’s also something empowering for women. She’s also a mother, and we connected on that. It’s going well; we’re getting a lot of positive feedback, and I’m delighted about the opportunity. I like that it has this homely feeling. It’s set in a big city, the capital of Austria, but sometimes it feels like a village, like you know the people around the corner. It’s a familiar feeling that’s created in a coffee shop. She also offers excellent quality that fits the renovation. She offers high-quality coffee. The renovation is also of good quality.
FAB: You also write?
Lisa Nitsche: I would rather not elaborate on that too much. I am writing a novel. It’s still in the works. I keep working on it. This is something very personal, and I’m pouring peculiar care into it. I’ll talk about it more when the publishing process moves forward. I’m in a place in my life where I’m just very happy. I’m happy being a mother. I’m connected to my family and good friends. I’m truly grateful for these non-material treasures that we have. The good thing is that I don’t feel like I have to take all the opportunities that come. I only choose the ones that align with my vision. It’s just a good place to be in life.
FAB: What advice would you give to other artists, especially mothers, who are trying to establish themselves in their fields?
Lisa Nitsche: I think the best thing is to focus on what’s important. What’s important is not how much money you make or how much your art makes. It’s something so personal. My advice would be for them to just keep making art. When I started as an artist and I prayed, what God told me was to keep producing, and he would take care of the quality. I’m just here making my art. That’s what I’m going to say, too. Just keep making your art. It’s okay if you want to be seen. It’s also easier nowadays with social media. Just post your art; don’t bother with what people think. There will always be people who think they can do better than you. That’s just the way people are. People who watch soccer and can’t play scream all sorts of things at the player, but it doesn’t change the game. What’s important is the creative process. Keep creating. The mountain may be high, but if you take it step by step, somehow you’ll make it over the mountain. Take it step-by-step.
Fashion, Beauty, and Fitness with Lisa Nitsche
FAB: What fashion trend are you currently excited about the most?
Lisa Nitsche: The older I got, becoming a mom, I discovered that I’m not as trendy as I used to be. It’s not a trend, but I’ll go with elegance and naturalness. I don’t want it to be over-the-top. I like colours. I like bold colours: green, red, and orange.
Lisa Nitsche: I pray. I pray for my skin and hair. One of the things about beauty is knowing who you are. That’s what makes people beautiful. Know who you are and who you belong to. It’s very attractive. I like using the Gua Sha stone. I use a lot of oils. I use oil for my body, not my face. The basic rule for everything is to drink a lot of water. I drink a lot of water.
Lisa Nitsche: We have a good system in Austria, so I have two years of maternity leave. I knew that for the next two years, she could be my focus. I took it easy for the first six weeks because I am a fitness enthusiast. For six weeks, I just focused on recovering and my emotional wellbeing. I think the most important thing is to be connected to other mothers. I have a mother group in church, and it has been such a blessing. It’s important to surround yourself with good friends. It helps. Stay up to date on the newest in the world of Fashion, Arts, Beauty and Lifestyle; Follow FAB on Instagram.
Fun Zone: #FABFastFive
FAB: If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
Lisa Nitsche: Italy
FAB: What was the last film or book that made you laugh out loud?
Lisa Nitsche: My daughter’s book
FAB: If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be?
Lisa Nitsche: To be invisible.
FAB: If you could create art with any renowned artist, who would that be?
Lisa Nitsche: Lina Iris Viktor
FAB: What’s your favourite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon?
Lisa Nitsche: Spend time with my daughter.
Image Credit: Jenia Symond de Montfort
