Biography

Lisa Gentile is a painter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the natural world often finds its way into her work—sometimes through backyard birds, sometimes through the greater California coast.

Lisa creates art that invites viewers into moments of whimsy and wonder. Her work explores liminal spaces—borderlands where human and animal behaviors blur, where curiosity opens doors to deeper connections. She sees the world as a vibrant web of habitats, full of unexpected beauty for those who pause, notice, and imagine.

Her inspiration deepened in 2020 after moving to a home on the edge of town with a small forest in the backyard followed by rolling green space and a view of the bay in the distance. With wild characters just outside the kitchen window—foxes, coyotes, deer, rabbits, herons, raptors, and song birds—her creative focus shifted toward storytelling and a sense of place.

Current projects include Bird Party, a playful series celebrating avian life, and Intertidal Wander, an exploration of the California coast’s intertidal zones. Research for an upcoming series on Arcadia, Greece, is in progress. Her work is currently featured in Monochrome, an exhibit by the Dublin Arts Collective.

In addition to painting, Lisa shares her passion through workshops that help others build a personal visual vocabulary, explore acrylic techniques, and develop a joyful art practice.

Artist's Statement

My work explores the spaces where the wild and the human intersect—where birds gather for a pool party, a jack rabbit looks through the sliding door, or tide pools blur the boundaries between land and sea. I paint to capture these moments where the everyday becomes extraordinary if we stop and look closely.

Having a small forest and rolling hillsides outside my Northern California home, I’m surrounded by wildlife that continually inspires me—birds, coyotes, rabbits, and unseen creatures. My encounters with them are full of story, gesture, and mystery. My practice is a way of honoring that world, and inviting others into it.

I primarily work in acrylics, layering color, texture, and abstract elements to create a sense of place and possibility. I merge expressive technique with observational detail, especially when it comes to character and movement.

Through my art, I want to evoke curiosity, playfulness, and connection. I’m drawn to what emerges in between—between species, between stillness and motion, between seeing and imagining.

Classes

Discover and develop your visual vocabulary with me in a supportive community. In my painting workshops, I help you explore your favorite subjects and turn them into captivating works of art. We balance play and real art techniques to reveal art that is uniquely yours.

Whether you’re a total beginner, a little curious, or an experienced artist open to trying something new, there’s a seat for you at the table.

As a former Learning and Development department head, Certified Talent Development Professional, and executive coach, I have designed, implemented and managed curriculum for a wide range of audiences. I am committed to learner-centered experiences.

Design Pursuits

I grew up in a family of artists, creatives, and tinkerers. My early memories include sewing with my mom, working on cars with my dad, stitching with the extended family at my grandmother's quilting loom, and standing next to my grandpa in his shop as he built contraptions out of metal. Pottery and writing also played major roles in my development. Every moment was a "what if" opportunity.

So it makes sense that I work in areas other than painting. See more about my other brand, Lulu's Trunk Show at: Lulu's Trunk Show

CV

Exhibitions

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025 Members Show, Dublin Arts Collective, Dublin Frame Company and Gallery, Dublin, CA, USA

2025 Monochrome, Dublin Arts Collective, Dublin, CA, USA (Curated by Buffy Davis)
2025 Imagination Expressed, Museum on Main, Pleasanton, CA, USA
2025 Desserts, Dublin Arts Collective, Dublin, CA, USA (Curated by Buffy Davis)

2025 Tiny Art Show, City of Dublin Library, Dublin, CA, USA
2024 Post Period, Dublin Frame Company and Gallery, Dublin, CA, USA (Curated by Vanessa Thomas)
2008 Imagination Expressed, Museum on Main, Pleasanton, CA, USA
2008 Art in the Heart of Pleasanton, Alexander's Gallery, Pleasanton, CA, USA (Curated by Rosalinda Herrera)