In August of 2025, my husband and I took the opportunity to learn about Switzerland after our son's wedding there. We traveled by rail to and from Zurich. During that time, we explored the Bernese Alps and Jungfrau region, the french speaking Valais region, Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne, and, the Capital City of Bern. We learned about wine, culture, history, and language while meeting the people of Switzerland.

I explored my story of our trip to Switzerland through my ceramic art. Wengen in the Bernese Alps and the Jungfrau region were home base for our first week; I created platters to illustrate that first experience: 1. Alps skyline and 2. Alps flowers and cow bells for the larger platters and 3. wedding plate for the smaller platter.  All of these vessels are hand built using the same altered rim design and Mishima technique, then adding layers of glaze.

Throughout Switzerland, I visited botanical gardens and markets where local fruit and flowers were found.  I hand painted these images on 10 raclette plates to symbolize our group of friends who joined us in Switzerland at Table 1.

This collection tells my story... a journey that humbled me when I learned about the Native Americans and the declining wine industry. It filled me with joy as I kayaked and saw a bald eagle, hiked to see waterfalls, and enjoyed the colorful ever changing landscape along the river. The taste of wines, pacific coast salmon and hood river cherries; and, the smell of roses, lavender and grapes just starting to pop in the vineyards were glorious. ​

​Traveling in your own country teaches you history in a way that books cannot... We met winemakers, fruit growers at markets, artists and collectors; observed indigenous people who have been marginalized and treated poorly; and saw people lost in a mental health crisis in American cities. We learned how life along the mighty Columbia River, once a terrifying river to cross in a covered wagon, has been controlled with dams and used to create power for local communities. The Columbia River Gorge is spectacular and vast and makes one feel wonder and humble at the same time.

My Florida Travel Collection 2025 represents a month long trip to Sarasota, Florida where I enjoyed the sun and the beautiful flowers; spent time at Selby Gardens exploring the bromides and leaves of all shapes and colors; and, visited Mote Marine for the last time before it moves to a new location.  At Mote, I love looking at the patterns on the fish and the joy being there brings to my husband as we look for and find the brick with his Dad's name on it.

I spent a lot of time exploring Sarasota on my own.  I toured houses in Poinsettia Park during their 100th anniversary. I took a month long painting class with a fabulous teacher who taught me about color and painting birds. I learned how to print from a gelli plate which I found playful and eagerly looked forward to this weekly visit to the Sarasota Art Center. Walking the beach, biking in Myakka, spending time with friends, talking about the hurricanes and how it has changed the topography are all reflected in this collection of travel in Sarasota 2025.

Many of the participating 12 Westwood Artists were on hand to meet and greet at the reception on Wednesday, Feb. 5th from 5:30-7:00PM. Westwood Poet Laureate, Lynne Viti joined the event bringing with her 12 poems, one for each participating artist from her poetry group. The Exhibition will be up in the Westwood Public Library Gallery for the month of February, their 7th annual exhibition on home turf.

The Westwood Minute has recently published an interview with me as a Westwood Artists.  Here it is: westwoodminute.town.news/g/westwood-ma/n/224912/meet-westwood-artist-lisa-wb-walker-telling-story-clay

I've been using Wordpress to blog for a number of years but since it is free, there are always a lot of ads.  I've decided to just use my website for posting going forward. If interested, please click the link here to access any of my previous posts that discuss my artwork.