Landscape artist Lisa O'Connor dies

After suffering from cancer for three years, artist Lisa O’Connor died on Monday night.

O'Connor, who worked mostly in oils, was well known for the thick impasto style of her local landscapes.

O’Connor was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1965. Her family came to Trinidad in 1977.

She was educated at St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain, then got a diploma in fine arts at the Art Institute of Boston and a bachelor of fine arts degree (honours) with a major in painting in 1988 from the Massachusetts College of Art,

She exhibited in TT, Jamaica, the UK and the US and was known for sitting in the Queen’s Park Savannah and various bays and beaches of TT with her paints, canvas and easel.

Peter Sheppard, president of the Art Society, described O’Connor as one of the leading ladies in the local art community. He said her work was widely collected and was in corporate and private collections across the globe.

“Lisa’s paintings are easily recognisable with her trademark style of painting. The works, created mostly in oils, are done with an impasto style, inspired by and capturing the natural beauty of the outdoors and elements of our historic architecture.

"(Her) compositions are as bold as her palette and brush stroke. As a plein-air artist, Lisa’s studio was the outdoors, in particular, amongst the beautiful flowering trees of the Queen's Park Savannah. Many a passer-by would see the artist at work, on location, capturing the mood of the day.”

He said the Art Society mourned her loss sent condolences to O'Connor's husband, family, friends and colleagues. He added that she was working towards an exhibition for the organisation in September 2020.

Conservationist and art dealer Geoffrey MacLean said O’Connor’s work reflected both the beauty of the landscape of TT and its soul.

He noted that it included a wide range of scenes including landscapes, seascapes, TT historic architecture, trees, flowers and beaches. He said her impasto technique gave her work “tremendous” texture and depth.

“It might be said that her work reflects an impressionist style, not common in the typical ‘realism’ of many of TT’s ‘contemporary’ artists. Yet there is also a spontaneity in one's response to the colour, movement and texture of her interpretations.

“Her contribution to keeping TT’s heritage alive is another very important aspect of her work.

"Lisa can be described as one of TT’s leading contemporary artists, and her work will be missed, particularly in the context of its sensitivity and feeling for those who love the beauty of our country.”

O’Connor left to mourn her husband Gregory O’Young, her four children, her mother, and three siblings.