About

Trude Lisagor began painting in 1997 at the age of 46, a year after her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. She had experienced many significant losses — including no longer being able to teach elementary school full time. So, she was ready for some gains.

Trude was encouraged to try something new, something creative, and was attracted to watercolor. She took lessons from Margaret Meade, a professional artist and master teacher from Caracas, Venezuela. Her weekly visits to Margaret's Northern Virginia basement studio changed her life. "Margaret taught me to see the shapes that exist everywhere around me."

A few years after moving to Bainbridge Island in 2004, Trude began to expand her personal boundaries even further by painting abstract images. She was drawn to Mike Biskup, whose watercolors were hanging in a local gallery. Instead of painting still lifes or scenes, he creates pieces using color, lines and shapes.

Over the summer, Trude and her grandson attended one of his demonstrations and she was inspired. A few months later, she painted with Mike in his Port Townsend studio. With jazz playing in the background and non-judgmental conversation, she experienced a whole new way to have fun with painting — which has continued to this day.