Artist Statement

I was planted in a family steeped in the traditions of the agrarian south. Hunting, fishing and an appreciation for southern architecture developed my passion for nature and preserving the rural southern landscape. I spent days on the Wateree River, in the swamps and learning to swim in the black water of the Boykin Mill pond, teeming with snakes, fish, gators and birds. I was entrenched in a complicated history, being raised at my father's family homestead, Wannah Plantation. I was fascinated by the archaeological digs at Historic Camden, while my mother served as the first director. These early memories shaped me as an artist and the imagery continues to find its way into my work today.

In recent years, I have been immersed in preserving and sharing the story of my husband’s family home, Wavering Place, once again surrounded with the images of my childhood. The natural beauty and architecture, right down to the Japanese beetles that flock to the fig trees are all reminiscent of Wannah. Although many consider this imagery conventional in artistic terms, I enjoy the challenge of interpreting these images so that my work takes on a very nontraditional style. I have spent my career walking a fine line between art and design, but no matter what my medium is I know that my work is rooted in the same soulful place. I am grateful for all that nature provides.

Biography

Adams earned a BFA from the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University and has spent her life in the art and design arena. Majoring in interior design, she worked as a commercial architectural designer for an international retail design firm in New York. Marshall Fields’ flagship store restoration was among several of her projects. She later returned to South Carolina and started her own decorative arts studio in Charleston where she produced paintings, painted furniture, accessories, murals and interior finishes. She was also part of the design team that executed Arizona’s Bar and Grill, an architectural award winning design. Before moving back to Camden to raise a family, Adams worked in Gainesville, Florida developing designs for museums and theme park installations, including the Field Museum of Chicago and Busch Gardens in Tampa.

In 2004, Adams opened Lisa B. Studios and began producing a line of hand painted lamps that were sold to retailers nationwide and featured in many publications including Coastal Living, Gotham Magazine, Southern Living and The Washington Post. She also produced custom lamps for Nordstrom and a private label for Russell and Mackenna, now known as Maine Cottage, a furniture company based in Maryland.

In recent years, she and her husband, Weston, have been devoted to restoring and maintaining Wavering Place, an historic family property near Columbia, SC. Wavering Place operates as one of the area’s top wedding and event venues. Her work restoring the original kitchen house and designing a new outdoor event pavilion received 2 consecutive preservation awards from Historic Columbia. She also received a grant from The Richland County Conservation Commission that provided funds for further research including the African American connection at Wavering Place.

Her paintings have been exhibited in galleries in Camden, Columbia, Pawley’s Island, Edisto Beach and Charleston, South Carolina, as well as Gainesville, Florida, Washington DC and New Orleans. She also has work in the collection of The Federal Reserve Bank. She is proud to have served on the board of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts Foundation and the South Carolina Wildlife Federation.

Adams’ studio is in downtown Camden, just north of her family crossroads of Boykin, South Carolina.