A child of Berkeley California’s gourmet ghetto, Lisa Scott Owen studied fine art from a very young age, spending her summers in the artist community created at the Arizona home of her grandparents John and Ruth Waddell. It was there that she was introduced to the concepts of kitchen gardens and nutritional healing by her grandmother. But, it was in Berkeley at her neighborhood restaurant Chez Panisse that the work of Alice Waters molded her perception of quality of ingredient and the experience of a fine dining environment.
Lisa began focusing on collage and photography in her early teens, her work was first published in Thrasher magazine and in her later teens she moved to Hawaii to pursue surfing. While living there, she apprenticed for portrait and fashion photographer Mary Ann Chang and began shooting with 50mm lenses, in black and white with a Nikon f3 and in color with a vintage Hasselblad. Trying modeling for a misguided moment, she had the opportunity to work with many of Hawaii’s best surf photographers most importantly Warren Bolster who became a friend and mentor.
In order to improve her work in early 20′s, she took the opportunity to apprentice for Color, Light, Composition and Art History with her grandfather John Henry Waddell, who graduated from The Art Institute of Design in Illinois (also known as The New Bauhaus), studied Art Theory with Frederick Sommer and learned darkroom skills from her photographer/film maker father, Sean Wilder Owen.
After that, Lisa moved to Rome, Italy, dreaming of studying with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro inspired by his writings about light and his work with Federico Fellini. There, she had the opportunity [due to the kindness of Saul Zaentz and Adriana Chiesa] to meet, get advice from and photograph Carlo Di Palma, but studying with Vittorio Storaro wasn’t meant to be. So she traveled to Florence and studied Italian, Art History and did apprenticeships in Architecture with Patrizia Petrogrande, Design with Simonetta Doni and Photography with Roberto Quagli . Living with Italian families while going to school, Lisa had her first life altering introduction to Italian food culture and she loved it.
Upon returning to the states, she continued her studies at The Evergreen State College receiving a B.A. inPhotography and Film.
While interning with various art directors, cinematographer’s and at Panavision in Los Angeles, she got her first more serious restaurant job at The La Brea bakery and Campanile, with chefs Nancy Silverton and Mark Peel. It was a wonderful learning experience for her to watch as Nancy was designing and building the wholesale aspect of La Brea Bakery. Campanile was an exciting place for a young person were you might one day meet chef Julia Childs and the next actress Ruth Gordon. It was there that Lisa First photographed food [bread from the bakery] at Chef Nancy Silverton’s kind invitation.
After eight years of working in Italian family owned restaurants, Lisa opened her restaurant, The Mark in Olympia. A certified organic, classic, simple, Italian influenced restaurant with an extensive full bar, where she has been owner and executive chef for over a decade. Lisa makes her education an ongoing effort by continuing to consult with amazing chefs, farmers, educators, environmental activists and artists in both Italy and the US.
learn more:
lisa scott owen : The Mark Olympia
John Henry Waddell : http://www.artbywaddell.com/
Alice Waters : http:// www.chezpanise.com/
Frederick Sommer : http://www.fredericksommer.org/
Vittorio Storaro : http://www.storarovittorio.com/
Saul Zaentz : http://www.zaentz.com/
Adriana Chiesa : http://www.adrianachiesaenterprises.com/
Carlo Di Palma : http://www.cinematographers.nl/GreatDoPh/dipalma.htm
Nancy Silverton : Welcome to Mozza Restaurant Group!
Mark Peel: www.campanilerestaurant.com