Art has always been a part of Lisa MacDonald’s life.
Imperfection is Beautiful. That’s the name of Lisa MacDonald’s business. Those three words guide all that she does in her business and in life. MacDonald is an abstract motivational artist. That means she creates paintings that hold motivation and positivity. She is also a motivational speaker. “I create paintings and I use my voice to make a positive impact to the world,” she says.
She’s become known for her nationality hands artwork. Here, she traces an outline of her hand on an 8-by-10 or 18-by-24-inch canvas. Then she uses acrylics to paint a country’s flag inside the hand’s outline. Her college’s diverse population (Cedar Crest College in Allentown) inspired her to start painting in this style. “I love understanding cultures, where people are from and traditions,” she says. “I want to express my love for that through my art.”
Her art can be purchased on her Facebook page and Etsy Shop. Her creations are also for sale at Uniquely Lopez, an artisan shop, at South Mall in Allentown. She can also make custom creations. In addition to canvases, she artwork-adorned T-shirts, hats and water bottles. “I want people to have something like this in their office,” she says. “That way the people they work with can feel comfortable. I want to create awareness.”
MacDonald, 26, lives in Allentown, and grew up in the area. MacDonald earned a bachelor’s degree at Cedar Crest. She’s currently pursuing a master’s degree in art therapy there; she is expected to graduate in 2023. Her goal is to open her own art therapy practice catering to preteens and incorporating everything she’s been doing as an abstract motivational artist. She says that a lot of teens have difficulty accepting imperfections. “That age needs the most help when it comes to self-esteem,” she says. “I want to teach them to be motivated and follow their passion. They should know that they’re beautiful the way they are, and they don’t have to be perfect.”
Art has always been a part of MacDonald’s life. Since she was 6 years old, she did a lot of drawing as a form of escape. “I had a hard time making friends when I was younger,” she says. “Art was my only friend. It gave me company. Art accepts whatever I create.”
She recently won a grant from the Allentown Arts Commission. She used the funds to hold three workshops for kids and create a coloring book. She let kids explore the pages and spoke to them about accepting imperfections. “The coloring book teaches kids that we’re all imperfect,” she says. “We can try to accept and make imperfection work by the colors we use.”
She’s also a motivational speaker at wineries, art workshops, virtual forums and other spots. She talks about overcoming daily challenges with a positive and strong mindset. MacDonald wants to teach individuals how to handle a negative mindset. People should accept their imperfections, which can help boost their self-esteem, she says. “Don’t look at imperfections as limiting, rather as an opportunity.”
MacDonald explains that she has a learning disability, which she refers to as a learning challenge. “If you break up the word disability, it’s saying you don’t have the ability to do anything,” she says. “But you can work through a disability. It’s not who you are, it’s what you have.”
For more information on MacDonald and her work, visit her website at https://imperfectionisbeautiful.life/, her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/abstract.motivational.artist; email her at [email protected], or call her at 484-506-3306.