LISA CORSTON BLANCHE
Diploma of Art & Creativity (Advanced)
"My artwork is a response to how life is constantly shifting and changing around and through me."
Lisa Corston-Blanche holds a Diploma in Art and Creativity (Advanced). Over the past 23 years, Lisa has participated in numerous solo and group shows. Her recent major solo exhibition in 2023, 'Womb Women,' showcased life-sized ceramic sculptures.
Her current sculptural work of clay and natural oxides is a dedication to the line of one hundred thousand grandmothers that spans out behind her, and all women seeking a way to articulate their truth.
Lisa teaches Open Floor Dance and works within elderly care. She is a mother, grandmother, daughter and lives with her wife in the Coromandel.
Currently I am sculpting ‘Womb Women’ a dedication to all the women in my female ancestral line, to my 100 thousand Grandmothers spanning back through 2.5 million years of humanity. One woman giving birth to the next, on and on through time, until here and now. Each woman with her own personal story, her own voice, and all are woven though my DNA as a collective wisdom that deserves to be honoured. I have a desire to open my arms and gather in all my ancestors, our collective story matters.
_edited.jpg)
I have a great love for the grit and rawness of deep, rich, ancient earth colours...
Life is a constant continuum of change. Every experience offering up a unique weave of flavours, textures and tones. My response-ability to how life unfolds becomes reflected through my creative process.
​
The materials I choose to play with therefore become based upon what their unique qualities can offer me. Then the dance begins, a moving dialogue between artist and material. Textures may emerge that are smooth with a delicate flavour of transparency, or perhaps a gritty roughness with a taste of visceral rawness. When space is created for the unexpected, spontaneous and surprising results can appear ... and so the artworks that emerge from this dance simply become snapshots of a constant and evolving weaving of the qualities within my own life.
​
I especially enjoy exploring textures and colours that emerge from underground, playing with these elements through paint on canvas and in sculpted form through clay. Oil Sticks are a loved painting material, terracotta along with natural oxide glazes are the materials I find pleasure in sculpting with.
​
Since 2022 my sculpture making has revolved around ‘Womb Women’ a dedication to all the women in my female ancestral line, to my 100 thousand Grandmothers spanning back through 2.5 million years of humanity. One woman giving birth to the next, on and on through time, until here and now. Each woman with her own personal story, her own voice, and all are woven though my DNA as a collective wisdom that deserves to be honoured. I have a desire to open my arms and gather in all my ancestors, because our collective story matters.
​
​In October 2026 I am offering a preview of my work in progress when I open my temporary studio as part of the Coromandel Arts Tour.
AND THEN!
In January 2027 the next Major Exhibition of ‘Womb Women’ will come into being in Coromandel Town. All details will emerge closer to time. Truly looking forward to meeting you and sharing my work and vision.
“Engaging in the creative dance of art making,
exploring rich colours, deep tones, emerging highlights, this is how my practice sustains me …
becoming so engrossed in the relational process
between artist and material
that time slows, clocks stop ticking,
and whole new worlds opens up." ~ Lisa
WOMB TO WOMB Lineage
Sophie
Born 3rd January 2022
SOPHIE ~ Granddaughter
Came through the womb of Rachel
Life Snippet: Hi my name is Sophie, I was born in January via mums ‘sun-roof’, I was very little and needed a bit of help in the beginning with my jaundice and slow weight gain. I got to have grandma at home to help mum and dad for my first week and I loved being at home with mum and dad for my first 5 months...
Rachel & Sophie
Born 9th January 1993
RACHEL ~ Daughter
Came through the womb of Lisa
Life Snippet: Hi my name is Rachel, I work as a registered nurse, I am Lisa’s only daughter, I was born in Te Awamutu on Saturday the 9th January 1993 at home as planned. With mum embarking on this journey of discovery into the womb to womb mother lineage, she thought it would be lovely to add a snippet of our lives to the story. So here goes…
Lisa & Rachel
Born 27th June 1972
LISA ~ Myself
Came through the womb of Sherryll
Life Snippet: Highschool pregnancy, 72hour labour, motherhood, baby boy, artwork rekindled, painting, pregnancy, homebirth, 8 hour labour, baby girl, farm life, postnatal depression, painting, playcentre, friendships, painting, pregnancy, quick homebirth, baby boy, country life, friendships, family, unhappiness, postnatal depression, beautiful children, turning point, life, laughter, children, separation …
Lisa & Sherryll
Born 26th May 1954
SHERRYLL ~ Mother
Came through the womb of Elizabeth (Beth)
Life Snippet: Born the eldest of 5 to a woman who was the youngest of 6, mostly musicians or at least musical, grew up in a family who always spent the holidays at the beach and there was always singing and music at every gathering …
Sherryll, Beth, Ruby & Lisa
Born 9th September 1933, Alive for 75 years
ELIZABETH (Beth) ~ Grandmother
Came through the womb of Ruby
Life Snippet: Beth - sister of five siblings, mother of five beautiful children. She was a woman who sewed coats in a factory, sewed and knitted for herself, her children and grandchildren, picked tobacco in Nelson. A medal-rich ballroom dancer, so creative and artistic in the arts of liquid embroidery, beaded jewellery, stained glass, pottery, patchwork quilting and fabric crafting, Chinese bird brush-painting, mosaics, quilting - from the heart of the home to the warmth of her ever-colourful studio sanctuary...
Ruby & Elizabeth
Born 16th March 1892, Alive for 82 years
RUBY ~ Great Grandmother
Came through the womb of Elizabeth
Life Snippet: Sister of 11 siblings, mother of 6 children - the epitome of a fragrant miniature rose - tiny, always smelled wonderful, always had a radiant smile and never a stern word. She loved spoiling her grandchildren with lollies "Want a lolly? Go upstairs and kiss your dolly" she would say with a cheeky chuckle...
Elizabeth
Born 15th August 1853, Alive for 82 years
ELIZABETH ~ Great Great Grandmother
Came through the womb of Ann (Annie)
In memory...
%20great%20great%20great%20grandmother.jpg)
...
Born 1820, Alive for 74 years
ANN (Annie) ~ Great Great Great Grandmother
Came through the womb of ….
In memory...
ARTIST EXHIBITION CV
SOLO SHOWS:
​
2023 “Womb Women” Hauraki House Gallery, Coromandel Town
​
2015 Umu Cafe
​
2014 Umu Cafe
​
2014 Mana Retreat Centre
​
2013 “Dancing with the Conventions of Painting” ~ Hauraki House Gallery Coromandel Town (Exhibition for Advanced Diploma)
​
2013 “Revealing what was hidden” ~ Sola Café Thames
​
2012 “Emerging from the space between ~ Sola Café Thames
​
2011 “Shifting Perceptions” ~ Umu Cafe Coromandel Town
​
2009 “Captivating” ~ Moon Coromandel Coromandel Town
2008 Nectar Bar Thames
​
2006/7/8/9/11/13/14/17/18/19/20/22 “Open Studio” as part of The Coromandel Arts Tour
​
JOINT/COMBINED SHOWS
​
2023 "On Our Watch" ~ Collaboration of 8 Artists responding to poems from 4 Poets - Exhibition and Book Launch
​
2001 to Present: approximately 25 exhibitions either with one other artist or as part of a group.
