Having moved around some of the bigger cities in upstate New York, this local artist says it’s great to be home again.

Lisa Iannello was born and raised on a dairy farm in New Berlin along with four other siblings. After a childhood illness, she said she was inspired to work in the medical field, but not as a health care provider – she wanted to be behind the scenes a bit more.

A gifted artist and designer, Iannello headed off to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and earned a bachelor’s degree in fine and applied art. While attending school, she performed her work study assignments as a graphic designer in the school’s media department for three years.

Medical illustration is the field that caught her eye, and following graduation she worked in that area for 15 years. She worked in Syracuse at the Veterans Medical Center doing graphics, satellite communication, photo, video and more. Working on physician’s research presentations, she’s just now starting to see the results of some of that research surface.

Over time, Iannello says she was wanted to focus more on fine arts and opened a gallery in downtown Syracuse where she acted as the director for four years. While the gallery is no longer in operation, Iannello said the experience was unforgettable.

Iannello and her husband, whom she met while attending RIT, lived and worked throughout Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse before deciding to move back to Iannello’s hometown. In 1999, she had her son Evan, and says after having a child the idea of where she wanted to live and raise him all changed.

By 2001, Iannello and her family moved back into the New Berlin area. “We just wanted to be part of a village setting, where we could walk to the store or park and be part of the community,” she said. Having her own studio space in her home to pursue her art was an added bonus.