Liza Landberg is a self-taught artist based in Köln, Germany, known for her expressive and emotionally rich printmaking and digital art. Her work blends figurative and abstract elements, using color as a powerful vehicle to convey mood — sometimes vibrant and bold, other times soft and restrained. Drawing inspiration from her travels across South and Central America and her time with Native American communities in North America, Liza’s art captures fleeting impressions of joy, spirituality, and everyday life.

Always carrying a sketchbook on her journeys, she collects emotional impressions that later evolve into sensual, colorful compositions. Themes of love, femininity, and freedom recur throughout her work, whether she’s painting floral motifs, spiritual scenes, or depictions of love. Her recent collection, Summer Splash, celebrates female love with over 100 bold and joyful motifs — highlighting laughter, intimacy, and the liberating spirit of summer.

We asked Liza about her art, creative process, and inspirations.

Can you tell us about your background as a digital artist? How did you get started in this field?

Art has always fascinated me, especially illustration. Even as a child, I drew like crazy and later added color to my designs. I remained self-taught but always tried to learn from others. For me, drawing and painting are like making music or acting — it's about composition, perceiving frequencies, and, of course, the story behind it, the message associated with it, and the mood the piece puts you in. In the past, all of this was done manually. When the first digital painting programs came onto the market, I laughed at them. Back then, I didn't see it as real art.

Nowadays, software is very sophisticated and diverse. Photoshop has also become much better, and now there's AI, which can be a great help for generating ideas or creating designs. I personally use painting programs like Rebelle for my work — it lets you paint as you would with pencils or brushes. But you shouldn't think the results will pop out of the computer with a few clicks. Digital art is just as complex as analog art.

Your collection “Summer Splash” is bursting with color and emotion — what inspired this vibrant celebration of sun, sea, and love?

I searched for a long time for a suitable visual language for the subject of female love. Unfortunately, this is still a niche subject in art. There are many sexist depictions by male artists that intrude into this niche. Of course, it’s about sex too — but not only that. Longing, tenderness, closeness, and protection are all part of it. And above all, shared fun: loud laughter that isn’t shy or muffled just because someone else is standing nearby.

For me, sun and sea are the perfect backdrop for love. In a word, love between women today is colorful and free — or at least it should be. This colorful diversity is best expressed by the well-known rainbow flag. I really just expanded on this idea. It helped me to use minimalist, sometimes cubist forms. This brings out the strong colors best in contrast to black and white.

You mention that you always carry a sketchbook on your travels. Do you have a favorite place where something unexpected made its way into your art?

I love the sea, great cities — but especially lake landscapes like those found in the regions of the Indigenous peoples of North America. The sky is reflected in the water, along with the sun, the light, the grasses, flowers, and bushes. It is a magical world, a sound of silence that reminds us of humanity’s roots.

It is the world of mythological power animals, some of which I have already painted: the wise swallow, the watchful eagle, or the white buffalo that protects the earth. This is a feminist mythology first told by the Lakota tribes. The white buffalo was once a beautiful woman whom two brothers encountered while hunting. One brother tried to force himself on her and was struck dead by lightning. The woman instructed the other brother to take her to his tribe. There, she taught the community to be mindful of nature. Before disappearing back into the forests, she transformed into a white buffalo calf.

Later, a Native American women’s society — the White Buffalo Cow Society — cared for the buffalo herds through ritual dances, which ensured their survival for a long time. Some Native Americans say that the White Buffalo Woman has returned to save nature. Sometimes, her beauty is reflected in one of the lakes...

Have there been any surprising or memorable responses to your work?

Oh yes, I was thrilled to be asked to do this interview. Thank you so much again! It's a great honor for me to be featured in such a profound and exciting blog about digital art. And I've already received great feedback on my new collection "Summer Splash" on Saatchiart.com and Artmajeur.com from collectors who have liked certain motifs. One collector said she laughed out loud with joy when she saw my prints. I can't imagine a better reaction!

You also create art for children — how does that work differ in energy and intention from your other collections?

Children perceive art very intensely. They are often great artists themselves. Unfortunately, I don’t have any children, but I try to retain my own childlike quality. That is the secret of many great artists. Think of Matisse, who, in his old age, sat sick in bed and cut out minimalist figures from paper — like a child making something. He was ridiculed for it in his time, but he actually created magnificent minimalist works of art. Without this childlike imagination, Jackson Pollock would hardly have dripped paint from a bucket onto a canvas, and Andy Warhol would never have drawn Mickey Mouse.

My greatest dream is to illustrate a children’s book one day. My main character is a pink rhinoceros and his friends, the butterflies… more on that later!

What is a profound childhood memory?

The first time I took a running jump into a puddle. That was the best! Since then, I've jumped into every puddle I see.

If love is like a canvas in spring, as you beautifully say, what do you hope people feel when they look at your art?

Good vibrations. Longing. Happiness. Closeness. Joy. Love. Laughter. In that order. And back again...

What else fills your time when you’re not creating art?

I worked for a while as a magazine editor. My work also involved image selection, design, and cover ideas. Later, I worked at an international bookstore at a major airport. I've since moved into the health sector, where I focus on healthy nutrition and natural healing methods.

There are scientific studies showing that art also promotes health — for artists, but also for viewers. Roger Ulrich, a Scandinavian researcher, was the first to discover that looking out the window at green trees or a beautiful garden has a pain-relieving effect. The same applies to photos or paintings with beautiful natural motifs. What helps patients who have recently undergone heart surgery certainly can’t hurt healthy art collectors!

The positive effects of colors have also been well researched. The famous “Baker-Miller pink” can even help you lose weight. Baker and Miller were the names of the directors of an American prison whose inmates were often overweight. The cells were later painted pink after it was discovered that the inmates felt more comfortable with this color — and actually lost weight. But pink is a great color anyway...

What advice would you give to aspiring digital artists who are just starting out?

It helps to first look at what other artists are doing. You can learn something from every artist — a material technique, a unique style, a motif, or a specific color scheme. Art is like a long, beautiful journey. It's not always comfortable, but it makes you happy. My advice to all digital artists: Do it like you would on your next trip: Read all the good travel guides beforehand — and then do the opposite!