Mixed Media, Reimagined
Lisbet Axell is a mixed media artist based between Rockland, Maine and Alexandria, Virginia, working in portraiture, abstract paintings, and quiltwork pieces that use hidden symbols to tell stories of resistance and resilience.
Painted Quiltwork: Not Fabric, Paint
Though they read like fabric quilts, these works begin as paintings. Lisbet Axell paints, then deconstructs her own canvases — cutting them into pieces — before hand- and machine-stitching them back together in quilt-block patterns. The technique mirrors the series’ subject: breaking something down in order to rebuild it into a new, more legible form.
Bring a piece of the the collection home.
A limited selection of fine art, archival prints, ready to frame or hang as-is.
Fine art print from the Jailbreak series. In this later-years portrait of Octavia Butler, her reserved expression and thoughtful, almost somber gaze reflect both the quiet shyness and profound introspection that shaped her life. Her face, now etched with the lines of time, speaks to her enduring resolve—each wrinkle a testament to her lifelong persistence in cultivating her voice, despite early doubts about her looks, intelligence, and abilities. In contrast with earlier portraits of Octavia, this piece is hinting at a rare, tentative confidence that grew into one of the most original voices in sci-fi. Did she ever see herself as the legend she became? Perhaps not—but her legacy stands boldly as a symbol of resilience and the power of self-belief.
Fine art print from the Jailbreak series.
Our rights should never be up for debate. But while they are, we’ll be here—standing, speaking, and pushing back. This contemporary painting features Katharine McCormick, capturing her fierce dedication to women's rights and health autonomy. She stands in a poised, determined stance, symbolizing her role as a suffragette and advocate. Delicate, coded messages in the background subtly convey her commitment to organized resistance, allyship, and equality, evoking her legacy of smuggling contraceptives and her relentless fight for reproductive freedom and women’s empowerment.
Fine art print from the Jailbreak series of Grace’s Vote. In 1914, Grace Marcon cast her vote in the only way available to her, by taking a knife to five paintings in London’s National Gallery. She was inspired by Mary Richardson’s earlier chopping of Diego Veasquez’s Rokeby Venus, which Richardson justified by saying, “I have tried to destroy the picture of the most beautiful woman in mythological history as a protest against the Government destroying Mrs Pankhurst, who is the most beautiful character in modern history. Justice is an element of beauty as much as colour and outline on canvas.” Marcon and Richardson were joined by Mary Wood (reportedly “an elderly woman of distinctly peaceable appearance”), who hacked apart a portrait of Henry James, stating that, “I have tried to destroy a valuable picture because I wish to show the public that they have no security for their property nor for their art treasures until women are given political freedom.
Fine art print of Caitlin Pays the Price from the Jailbreak series. Inspired by pictures from the WNBA draft night where she was #1 pick. Should be the happiest night, culmination of collegiate level celebrity, but really is the start of a very long, harsh slog. The violence of insults thrown at her. How it’s just beginning and will only get worse. Something to be endured. Society does not like women who threaten all others with their excellence. Her facial expression is meant to show the weariness to come.
Contact us.
Whether you have a question about a piece, a custom project in mind, or just want to say hello, I'd love to hear from you.
lisbet@lisbetaxellstudio.com
Alexandria, VA