Now You See Me Now You Don't by Thomas Lisle is from the collection of the same title, that is inspired by the self-portrait of Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, a composition and atmosphere that Thomas Lisle deeply admires. The piece explores the concept of femininity in art and the dynamic balance between masculine and feminine energies - an idea that has become increasingly significant to Lisle through his study of Jungian psychology. This balance, represented by the interplay of receptive and active forces, manifests as anima (the feminine aspect within the male) and animus (the masculine aspect within the female).

In retrospect, Lisle notes that a portrait orientation, like the original, may have been preferable, but this provides an opportunity to revisit the composition in a new way. The title, Now You See Me, Now You Don't, reflects both the historical tendency to overlook female artists and the artwork’s abstraction, which begins with a clearly defined head, hat, and plume before evolving into a fluid, expressive composition.