Artist Marlisa Dunn, of Cleveland Heights, is Legacy Village’s Artist in Residence, with a studio/gallery setup near Starbucks. Open studio hours are held on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. where visitors can watch Marlisa work.

A former gym owner, Marlisa picked up painting as a hobby two years ago. “It was something I fell in love with and wished I had started sooner. It was like learning a new language and changed how I see things in the world. When the pandemic hit, I was left scrambling as gyms were forced to close. There was tremendous uncertainty in the world and with the future of my gym. I channeled that devastating emotion into painting. I painted every single day in 2020 and found new ways to express myself and knew this was the path I needed to follow,” said Marlisa Dunn.

Marlisa primarily paints small and larger-than-life portraits and florals, using oil paint and watercolors. “Through this residency, I hope to push myself creatively, expand my techniques and tap into the emotion and sense of longing of what I’m painting. I also receive great energy from painting live at events and I hope to harness that in my Legacy Live paintings.”

Photo Credit: Whatnot Shop Photography