Lisa Anita Wegner

I am proud of myself because I decided to postpone my Toronto screenings. I realized I wasn’t quite ready to do the talkback to my hometown friends and colleagues. Speaking in Phoenix was terrific practise, but as the date was looming ahead I realized clearly I needed more time. I have always listened to my impulses, or so I thought. I would override them with logic if something seemed good for my career. Now I realize that I am my career and my comfort is the most important thing. So I postponed everything and am taking my time, working on my artists statements, shaping the larger projects, and creating a steady flow of pixel painting.

Here’s the second draft of my newest statement:

Using a variety of techniques I interrogate traditional expectations and limitations of photography. My canvass, or the matrix I play in, is a digitized photograph or image which is photographed of found. The process is entirely organic, with fluid improvisation and no rules. I take the image back and forth between Picnik, Pixelmator and Photoshop to get the look I want.

My goal is an expressive image that is the emotional equivalent  to what I visualize.  I love that i can do anything in this reality, things that occur in my imagination. I can make anything I want and anything can have any colour, texture and exist anywhere. Each image is a fully developed story that takes shape in my head.

My face, taken by my computer webcam as I’m working, appears in many of my images. At first i wasn’t sure why, but now it understand that it’s my filter and reflects that everything you see is computer made. It’s a kind of signature. Already in the first several months of intense pixel painting I have found evolving styles of working and remain very influenced by the dada movement.

da·da (dä’dä) n. A European artistic and literary movement (1916-1923) that flouted conventional aesthetic and cultural values by producing works marked by nonsense, travesty, and incongruity. [French dada, hobbyhorse, Dada, of baby-talk origin.]

Haus Of Gaga has an army of creative talent working for Lady Gaga’s vision. Haus Of Dada is what I have called my two dogs, my computer and yours truly working for Lady Dada’s vision.  I know I am on the right track because I have effortlessly made over 200 pieces in 2011.

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In other news: my film PLANE CRAZY (feature doc) is happily in production, with location shooting in California. Thanks John Bertram for keeping the torch lit on this project and now making it an international shoot.

TALES FROM THE G20 (feature doc) is completed and I look forward to seeing where this great project goes. I was so happy I could work with The Open Media Initiative on this eye opening project. I’m keen to get over my fear of the police violence I saw and be able to watch and promote the film.

I realized a long time ago that I make art and films for myself, but if just one person likes something I’ve made, it makes it all feel worth it on a new level. I got the best email from a Phoenix audience member yesterday:

Hi All at Mighty Brave Productions!

I attended the shorts event at FilmBar in Phoenix, AZ, earlier this summer. I was entertained and incredibly moved by the series. I have been searching for  the short film “Who am I…?” since the event, but have not found it anywhere. Is this piece available for download/purchase? I would very much like to share this with a close friend and relative.

Your film says so much without saying a word. Thank you, again, for sharing your very personal experiences in a manner that helps others! You rock!!

April Goldstein