Lisette Morel is a Dominican-American artist, mother, independent curator, and educator living and working in NJ. She was raised in NYC/NJ in a Dominican home; juxtaposed with learning English in a 1980’s Catholic school while serving as a translator for her elders, witnessing her maternal grandmother make offerings and knowing things as she rolled her own cigars. Growing up with black tarred rooftops, picnics on fire escapes, merengue, hip-hop, and rock music. All of this sets the backdrop, feeding her art, the process, and practice.
he has never questioned/nor doubted whether or not she was going to grow up and create. A natural feeling, meant for her to be. So, she pursued her art studies at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ. There, she immersed herself in many cultural organizations, met amazing people, and worked as the weekend art instructor for the Newark Museum. Towards the end of her time at Rutgers, the language of abstraction revealed itself to her. Great advisors led Morel to Tyler School of Art, Temple University, PA. for her Masters in Painting. And this was the artist’s first time living away on her own. It was an incredible time to explore everything, life, and art. Just as Lisette was about to complete my Masters in Painting, she was given the prestigious Joan Mitchell MFA Grant.
“My art making is very laborious after many gestural marks with a mop or jumping to plant a mark on the surface I’m exhausted; the pain is part of the practice. It’s necessary for me to feel it; it’s how I further connect to my practice, to life. I invite people to come on an emotive journey with me feeling it with me allowing for the many possibilities inherent in challenging, breaking the rules… in asking why not.”
