In
1993, Lisa Fittipaldi was the typical corporate executive. A CPA
and financial analyst already on the high rungs of the ladder to success.
One morning on her way to work, she realized she could not see the road
signs or the traffic around her. Within six months, she experienced
the most devastating thing that most people fear, she could no longer see.
She sought out medical opinions and under went eye surgery, but it was
determined that her blindness would be permanent!
For almost two years, she underwent
the stress and depression that came with having to relearn the most basic
activities of daily living. During this same two year period her husband
required emergency bypass surgery and suffered a stroke. Her life
was in total chaos. She lost her job. She discovered that the stereotypes
directed at the disabled, and especially the blind, were the major limiters
of her life. Lisa Fittipaldi was determined to regain her independence,
ignore the stereotypes and substantiate her abilities.
She enrolled in a sculpture class
in the spring of 1995, only to have the class canceled. Her depression
increased, until one day, her husband purchased her a child's watercolor
set. To the amazement of everyone, she began to paint. She
had no prior experience with watercolors or art, and no formal artistic
training. People said to her, "Blind" people cannot paint. Lisa Fittipaldi
remembers: "I had not only lost my sight, but my independence. Every
time I wanted to pick myself up and dust myself off, someone said 'blind
people cannot....'." She recalls, "Just because I cannot see anything
significant (she has lost her ability to see such basics as distance,
print, color or dimension) should not disqualify me from exploring
life."
She began to sample a variety of
realistic subjects, from flowers and animals, to landscapes and still lifes.
As her reputation as an artist grew, people would seek her out to paint
a commission or to purchase a painting. The majority of her patrons did
not realize that Lisa Fittipaldi has never seen her own artwork.
Artists and critics said to her that
the mark of a true artist is one that paints the figure, the street scene,
the vignette of life. This is a subject you will never be capable
of doing. Lisa Fittipaldi is in the infancy of her career in exploring
the figure and since 1998 has added the street scene that depict vignettes
of life to her repertoire. She is discovering that this genre permits
her to tell the viewer what is in her "minds eye." Each painting is unique
and tells a story. Her abstracts, street scenes and other figurative
works are in high demand.
Since 1998, her works are now seen
in various galleries and private collections throughout the world. She
has received continuous accolades from the press, in both Television and
print media. Outside the United States Lisa's artwork has been featured
on international satellite TV and on 'Telemundo.' In the US, she
has been featured on NBC's 'On The Porch' & 'Rod Starne's Journal,'
FOX 'Positively Texas', ABC's 'Texas Country Reporter' & 'Good Morning
Texas', in addition, her gallery opening in Dallas was filmed by NBC's
Today Show.' The Austin American Statesman' probably expressed her remarkable
ability the best. "Lisa Fittipaldi lost her vision but not her determination
to express herself artistically. How she paints, however, may
remain a mystery. It's the question everybody asks and one that confounds
even her."
In April of 1999, Lisa Fittipaldi
began a non profit, tax exempt charity called THE MINDS EYE FOUNDATION
(www.mindseyefoundation.org)
as a response to educating the public about blindness and as an advocate
for the approximately 1,000,000 visually impaired, blind and hearing impaired
children in the United States. THE MINDS EYE FOUNDATION provides
educational technology to blind, visually and hearing impaired children
mainstreamed in the educational environment. A portion of the proceeds
from the sale of Lisa Fittipaldi's paintings is donated to her charity.
Lisa Fittipaldi is available to organizations as a speaker on behalf of
these children.
Top of Page Lisa Egypt - While touring
Egypt, Lisa was able to experience things that people only dream of.
This journey lead to the painting "Aswan Afternoon." During this
trip, she got to have an intimate discussion with John Malkovick after
they both experienced the wonders of the temple at 'Abu Simbal.'
Top Left: Aswan6 - Lisa has
captured the feelings and emotions of a typical Egyptian market in this
painting "Aswan Afternoon."
Top Right: Ranjapur6 - Lisa's
interpretive painting of the nonexistent city of "Ranjapur" in India.
Inspiration came from listening to the B&W movie, 'The Rains of Ranjapur.'
Bottom Left: Snowbirds6 - While
staying in Florida one summer, Lisa took early morning walks past the same
bench. She said, "It's like the people never moved and they were
always there." On returning to her studio, she painted "Snow Birds"
Bottom Right:Streetdreams6 -
While traveling through South America, Lisa attempted to capture the poverty,
yet richly fulfilled and tranquil lives of the people in "Street
Dreams."
By Al James and Lisa Fittipaldi
Your Email
Welcome
Visit Lisa's
Home Space (www.lisafittipaldi.com) and The
Mind's Eye Foundation