Meet Lisha Mack | Self-taught Artist and Mother to Alex

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisha Mack and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisha, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Background info: “My Peoples” Art is an abstract art collaboration between mother and daughter Lisha and Alex Mack of Longview TX. Alex is a college student with Down syndrome. She attends the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and is in the LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone) program.

Answer: Alex has been drawing her “My Peoples” figures repetitively since she could hold a pencil. Over the years she has filled thousands of spiral notebooks with these figures. She tells elaborate fictional stories as she draws and this is her form of “self talk” that many people with Down syndrome do. I decided to turn what was obviously a lifelong passion of Alex’s and turn it into a purpose that could provide support for her in the future. “My Peoples” Art is a business that is 100% owned by Alex. 

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
“My Peoples” Art are acrylic paintings on canvas with the acrylic work primarily being done by me and the “My Peoples” figures done by Alex. I am a self-taught artist never having picked up a paint brush before late 2020 and only did that as a means to provide Alex a platform to showcase her special figures. Alex’s “My Peoples” figures are unique and each are one of a kind and they are all perfectly imperfect.

We began by showing and selling our art at our local art walk but soon word of mouth spread and we primarily do commissions today. We are very proud of the fact that we have been able to give back to charitable and nonprofit organizations that we support by donating our art that has enabled them to raise over $55,000. We are also proud of a painting that was donated to Alex’s university that measures 6ft by 8ft that hangs in the student union building in the office of the dean of student affairs. This painting honors the diversity and inclusion that is on the UL Lafayette campus. Overall, our paintings do not express social or political statements but rather are meant to bring joy to those who see them. All of the paintings have a story behind them and sometimes that story is one that Alex creates in her mind as she is drawing the “peoples” and sometimes that story is about the recipient. We are proud that we have been able to complete a coffee table book that will be available later this year featuring the first 100 paintings and the stories behind them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In our hometown of Longview we of course love ArtWalk Longview that occurs four times a year. We still occasionally participate in this but also love it when we can just go as a spectator to see all of the other amazing artists.

When in Dallas we love to shop and people watch at North Park and eat at some of our favorite restaurants like Mi Cocina, Macaroni Grill, Pei Wei, and the Original Pancake House.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The success of “My Peoples” Art is attributable to our close knit family, friends, and our East Texas and Down syndrome community at large. Alex has been loved and supported by all those that know her since birth and this support has continued with the launch of her own art business. She has been able to attend college full-time and still have a successful art business with over 225 paintings completed to date.

Website: mypeoplesart.com

Instagram: @mypeoplesart

Image Credits
Lindsay Steele Photography