Lisa Bramhill, Jessica Dawn, and Kasey Smith on creativity, curiosity, and finding meaning in what surrounds us
In today’s fast-moving world, artists often help us slow down. They point out what’s hiding in plain sight: the beauty of animals, the value of memory, and the quiet significance of daily life. On the Women in Arts Network, we spoke with three artists whose work does precisely that: Lisa Bramhill, Jessica Dawn, and Kasey Smith.
When we sat down with Lisa Bramhill, Jessica Dawn, and Kasey Smith, we weren’t just talking about paint or pixels—we were hearing about how people find meaning, connection, and sometimes healing through creativity, making things with their hands and hearts. Each of these women brings something special: Lisa finds inspiration in the animals she observes in nature, Jessica captures the quiet beauty of everyday life through digital drawings, and Kasey turns stories from the past into thoughtful pieces that ask us to slow down and remember.
These conversations taught us that creativity doesn’t follow one straight line. It grows from memories, family, loss, curiosity, and the simple need to make sense of the world. Their journeys aren’t about trying to impress—they’re about paying attention to what matters, whether that’s a wild fox, a fleeting moment of peace, or an old object pulled from the dirt.
Together, their stories remind us that making art is often about showing up, following your instincts, and letting your surroundings shape what comes next.
Lisa Bramhill’s Journey from Observer to Painter
For Lisa Bramhill, Northern Alabama’s woods and wild fields aren’t just scenery—they’re part of her life. Lisa didn’t always call herself an artist; it took time and encouragement from her family, especially her husband and sons, to fully own that identity. But once she picked up her paints, there was no turning back.
Lisa creates eye-catching portraits of animals using acrylics and oils. Her signature approach involves solid-colored backgrounds and a careful selection of tools—from flat brushes to detail liners—so each animal takes centre stage. Something in the way she captures their expressions feels familiar, even human.
“I find strength in the creatures I paint,” she says. “They adapt and find a way through, no matter what. That resonates with me.”
For Lisa, nature is more than beautiful—it’s a teacher. Whether it’s the posture of a fox or the gaze of a bird, she sees stories everywhere. Her creative process begins outdoors, observing shapes and colours, and ends in her studio, where she layers paint until her subject feels alive. One of her most personal pieces was painted in memory of her brother—a reminder that grief and love can live side by side in the work we do.
And when creative blocks come around, Lisa doesn’t force them. She walks, listens, and watches. “It comes when it’s ready,” she smiles. You just have to show up.”
Through my animal paintings, I strive tobring the viewer up close and personal with the subject, giving them a sense of personality. I admire the resilience of these creatures in their ability to survive, always finding a way much like people do.
To learn more about Lisa, click on the links below.
How Jessica Dawn Finds Joy in the Small Things
Jessica Dawn’s work makes you pause—not because it’s loud, but because it whispers something familiar. Based in rural New South Wales, Australia, Jessica captures life’s soft, often-overlooked parts through digital drawing—moments like a breeze through open curtains, the comfort of a hot drink, or the weight of memory in a glance.
Her journey started behind a camera. After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts, she spent years studying photography and life drawing, sharpening her eye for detail. But in 2022, a move to the countryside—and a bit of soul-searching—led her to digital art. Learning new tools like Procreate wasn’t easy, but Jessica threw herself into the challenge.
“I was terrified and excited all at once,” she shares. “But switching mediums helped me bring more of myself into the work.”
Jessica’s drawings carry traces of her photographic background: the play of light, the framing, the stillness. Her past work with the human form taught her to notice subtle gestures, and that sensitivity is now woven into every line she draws. One of her most celebrated works, Never Too Old to be on the Cover of Vogue, captures the quiet confidence of age and experience.
For Jessica, creating art is also a way to connect. She shares stories behind each piece through her blog and social media—little windows into her thoughts and life. “I want people to feel seen. That the things they care about—no matter how small—matter,” she says.
My initial explorations showed me that a single photograph could freeze a moment, tell a story, and evoke feelings through the use of freezing shades of light and colour.
To learn more about Jessica, visit the links below.
Kasey Smith’s Maps, Pearls, and Ghost Signs
While Lisa looks to animals and Jessica to quiet moments, Kasey Smith turns her gaze backwards, into history, memory, and the stories objects hold. Initially from the U.S. and now living in the Netherlands, Kasey’s work involves everything from painting to mapping to performance, all driven by her love of uncovering forgotten things.
As a teenager, she found comfort in a shovel and a sifting screen, digging up bottles and broken dishes in her backyard. Her home was over a century old, and the neighbours knew the stories behind the objects she found. One bottle belonged to a moonshiner; a piece of china matched a wedding set from decades ago. “It got me hooked,” she says. “That feeling of piecing together something lost.”
Kasey hasn’t stopped digging since. Over the years, she’s created projects that connect place with story: maps of old painted signs in San Francisco, exhibitions inspired by Fabergé eggs, and collaborative artworks about memory and loss. Recently, she’s been exploring collective memory through the lens of ageing and grief, especially as her mother navigates Alzheimer’s.
Her work doesn’t ask for passive viewing. It invites people in—to touch, to read, to share. “I like art, you can experience it like a favourite coat,” she explains. “Something you can wear, carry with you, that holds a story.”
Now immersed in a multi-year art and performance apprenticeship, she studies the Dutch Masters while reimagining what it means to remember through art. Her piece Pixelated Pearl Vermeer uses thousands of freshwater pearls and metal pins to recreate a historic painting, both a tribute and a transformation.
I find artistic inspiration digging through history books as if they were soil. Unearthing fertile stories in the lost horizons beneath our feet.
To learn more about Kasey, click on the links below.
Listening to Lisa, Jessica, and Kasey, one thing becomes clear: creativity can appear in various ways. Sometimes, it comes through the quiet of nature, sometimes from a moment that passes so quickly that we almost miss it, and sometimes, it’s hiding in an old object or a forgotten story. These three artists have shown us that making things—whether it’s a painting of an animal, a digital drawing pulled from daily life, or a piece of history reimagined—isn’t always about grand ideas. It’s about being curious, staying honest, and allowing what matters to you to shape your work.
We’ve learned that art can start from anywhere: a walk outside, a move to a new place, or even digging in your backyard. The paths may differ, but the thread connecting them is this: a willingness to keep creating, even when things are uncertain. Lisa, Jessica, and Kasey remind us that making something can be a way to notice, care, and stay connected to the world, others, and maybe ourselves.
Stay tuned to the Women in Arts Network for more stories amplifying diverse, powerful contemporary art voices. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram.
