paper & canvas

We recently had the opportunity to talk to Kristi Lund Lozier in preparation for her upcoming art exhibition at the Ankeny Art Center. Her exhibition titled ‘paper & canvas’ opens on June 2 and runs through July 29, 2015.

Kristi Lund Lozier grew up in Des Moines, attended Roosevelt High School and graduated from the University of Nevada Reno in 1974 with a double major in Journalism and Art. Her mother was a chemist as well as a registered dietitian and Kristi’s father was an engineer at the John Deere plant in Ankeny. Kristi is a former media director, account executive and vice president of Gerdes Advertising, Inc. She is also a very active community leader serving many different organizations in the greater Des Moines area.


AAC: Tell us when you got involved with art and what your influences were.

KLL: I have been actively involved in art my entire life. As a young person I spent a lot of time alone and a lot of time watching and observing. I loved to read and I especially loved stories when there was a drawing on the cover or in the book. My parents were also a big influence. My mother encouraged me to draw at an early age and my father was a fantastic photographer. This led to my study of photography in college and it is still very magical to me. Just as important, I learned that handmade things were to be valued and treasured, hard work always pays off and to never give up.

AAC: Can you describe what is your creative process like and how you keep motivated?

KLL: I have the desire to create something from nothing. I keep my eyes wide open and always look for a common denominator. My motivation is always there because it is a discipline. I create a plan and write it down, then I block out everything else and just do it.

AAC: Can you tell us about a certain life event or an inner-voice that led you from a very successful career in advertising to being a dedicated artist?

KLL: I began to paint seriously when my youngest daughter started Montessori. At this time in my life I was either going to go back to advertising or I was going to paint. The more frightening of the two was to paint. Although I had enormous fear of the decision, it was one of those now or never commitments. I began by setting up a studio in a spare bedroom of our home. The two hour time-frame that my daughter was in preschool was the two hours that I had time to paint. So I began. It was scary and exhilarating at the same time. I chose acrylic paints over oil because of the smell and since acrylic dries very fast, it also fit my time constraints.

AAC: Do you ever experience creative blocks? Describe what they are like and how you overcome them.

KLL: I have never experienced a creative block. I live my life creatively in all things; no matter what, when or where. It never stops for me. My biggest frustration is not having the time to do everything that I want to do.

AAC: What’s a typical day in your studio like while you are working?

KLL: I give myself a start time and then I show up on time. I always have an idea or sketch and my personal rule is that I must have something down on the canvas within an hour. It can be scary when I first begin, but then time stands still while I work. Two or three hours will fly by very quickly. Then I will usually reach a point where it is best to walk away and come back later to get a fresh look. That next impression is important, I look for a point of truth that may touch a painful bit of honesty or a fresh instant now. I want my work to look fresh and it must be timeless.

AAC: How do you unwind and is their something about you that someone might find surprising?

KLL: Fun is something that I build into everything that I do. I am a very hard worker and I am happiest when I am working and creating. I’m not sure that I ever really unwind. I have been mowing the lawn since I was in high school. First my childhood home and then the two homes where my husband and I have lived for 37 years; those two homes just happen to be right next to each other. I used a 21” push-mower over most of those years and it would take me 7-8 hours each time. Now I have a riding mower and it is a real joy!


You can meet Kristi Lund Lozier and see her remarkable work at our artist reception on Thursday, June 4th from 5-7pm at the Ankeny Art Center. Both the exhibition and the opening reception are free and open to the public; wine and appetizers will be served at the reception.

Can’t make the artist reception? Stop in at your leisure and see Kristi’s paper & canvas exhibition on display in the main gallery. The Ankeny Art Center is located in a City Park at 1520 SW Ordnance Rd off State Street and just east of the John Deere plant. Our gallery hours are Tuesday - Friday: 9am-1pm, Thursday: 4pm-7pm and Saturday: 9am-noon.

CONTACT: Barb Vaske, 515-965-0940, barb@ankenyartcenter.com

WEBSITE: www.ankenyartcenter.com