Meet Portuguese artist Lisa Marques, widely known as Lizzy. Her iconic drawings and illustrations are published in magazines, books, and posters, but she also paints life-sized murals and creates artwork from her beach finds. While some of Lizzy’s work might appear decorative, there’s often a deep statement seeping through it.
Text: Alexandra Gossink / I Love the Seaside
Photos: Lizzy / (R)Hope Corals
All We Need is Already Here
From the mural of a veiled surfer on a building in Morocco’s surf town Imsouane and her art on whitewashed walls in Baleal, to commissioned work for Vans, surf festival Gliding Barnacles, a delicate drawing on an organic food store in Ferrel and her (R)Hope Corals art project; Lisa finds her canvas wherever it works best, sometimes just for fun, other times to make a statement.
Since I first got to know Lizzy in 2016, her audience expanded as more people discovered her work. As her popularity grew, more commercial assignments came her way but she’s always stayed true to her passions. Lizzy only works on commissions and projects if she’s comfortable with the ethics behind them. For example, the wall painting on Bioferrel; a shop with soul, which aligns with Lizzy’s deep-rooted desire to make conscious choices to look after the planet - use sustainable raw materials, less plastic, no harmful chemicals. And of course, her aptly named (R)Hope Corals project, creatively reusing marine litter. As she says: ‘All we need is already here.’
Spiritual Teachings
Her daily life in Peniche is peaceful, she says: “I work on my art and illustrations at home. Usually, I try to surf every day. Being in the ocean feeds my soul and inspires me in all the areas of my life. And surfing is the perfect excuse to be in the water any time, sometimes I
just need a dip or a long walk by the sea. I see surfing as a way for spiritual and self-improvement, and the ocean as the great master. ‘I love the sea, because it teaches me’, as writer Pablo Neruda said. We always search for perfection, and waves are the best metaphor for life. The perfection depends on how willing you are to catch waves. If you go out often, no matter how the waves are, you will find some perfect days, because you did the preparation in ‘bad’ days. We need the bad experiences to give significance to the good ones.”
Ambassador For The Ocean
Her main inspiration for her art is the ocean, and what it represents. It’s reflected in her work.
“Captains, mermaids, mythical characters, tribal patterns. I like history, and myths.”
They might be surfy feelgood illustrations, or fantasy figures and pieces made from disregarded fishing ropes and gear that she cleans from the beach. She’s an ambassador for nature, for the ocean in particular. In her own artistic way, she raises awareness for the consequences of our daily choices. And she does it so beautifully.
“I truly believe that where our heart is, is our mission. And we do need more soul in things!”
Find out more:
w. lizzyartworkshop.com / w. rhopecorals.com / i. lizzyartwork / i. rhope_corals