I’m Liz. I’m a freelance art and design writer based in Chicago. My writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time, The Christian Science Monitor, ARTnews, O, The Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, More, Redbook, Hyperallergic.com and Uppercase.
Currently I’m a frequent contributor at Smithsonianmag.com and Introspective, the magazine of 1stDibs.com. In recent years, I’ve been a contributor at American Craft and Artsy.net.
My love of art and design stems from my childhood in Washington, D.C. My family visited the Smithsonian museums nearly every weekend. When I was 8, I made a self-portrait sculpture out of painted and stacked wood boxes, in the style of Marisol. Today, you can find the sculpture on permanent display in the collection of … my parents.
Since becoming a freelance writer in 2014, I’ve interviewed a lot of amazing artists and designers, including Todd Oldham, Judith Leiber, Iris van Herpen, Ryan Korban, Skylar Fein, E.V. Day and Jim Walrod.
My stories have taken me to Palm Springs for Modernism Week; to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to write about the island’s craft traditions; and to a small town in upstate New York, where I discovered one of my all-time favorite art museums (seriously, it rivals the V&A): the Corning Museum of Glass. I’ve written about numerous leading glass artists, including Jeff Zimmerman, Nancy Callan and Katherine Gray. I’ve also nerded out on the scientific history of Pyrex glass and interviewed rabid collectors who will pay hundreds—even thousands—of dollars for rare Pyrex bowls in patterns like Amish butterprint and Gooseberry.
Around 2010, I learned how to quilt by taking a class with Chicago artist Sarah Nishiura. A couple years later, I wrote about her work for Martha Stewart Living. An abiding fascination with quilts and textiles has led me to write about contemporary artists Bisa Butler, Joe Cunningham and Karen Hampton, as well as the midcentury weaving pioneer Anni Albers. My personal essay about quilting, “Pieces of a Pattern,” was published in Tahoma Literary Review in 2016.
My writing is not limited to art and design. I’ve also written about education, food, parenting, health and more. I’ve created clear, concise copy for websites, and marketing pieces for the education company Amplify and the American Medical Association. Before pursuing a freelance career, I worked as a magazine editor. I’m meticulous about shaping stories, and I never confuse “who” and “whom.”
If you have an interesting story to tell, or you’re looking for help with a writing or editing project, please get in touch.
Selected Work
ART
Artist Bisa Butler Stitches Together the African American Experience, Smithsonian.com (link)
Skylar Fein’s Art Has Long Urged People to Resist the Status Quo, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
The Spectacle and Drama of Netflix’s New Glassblowing Show Will Shatter Your Expectations, Smithsonian.com (link)
These Artists Are Changing the Nature of Landscape Photography, 1stDibs’ Introspective (link)
Support System: Glass artists Nancy Callan and Katherine Gray’s kinship—in art and life—has stood the test of time, American Craft (link)
With Open Arms: A new project by the pussyhat co-creator seeks to make immigrants feel at home, American Craft (link)
In Memoriam: Made by sewing circles, Black Lives Matter quilts focus on girls and women, American Craft (link)
Paint by Numbers: Eugenia Cheng shows how art and math add up (cover story), The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Magazine (link)
The Art of Empathy, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Magazine (link)
Unraveling the Abstract Weavings of Anni Albers, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
Passing the Torch: The Bead Project teaches women how to create over a flame, start a business, and focus their talents, American Craft (link)
Wild About Charley Harper’s Nature Art, The Wall Street Journal (link)
A Residency at Europe’s Oldest Porcelain Factory is Attracting Leading Ceramic Artists, Artsy.net (link)
The Photographer Who Discovered That No Two Snowflakes Are Alike, Artsy.net (link)
DESIGN
In This Traditional Chicago Home, Bold Patterns Mingle With Art and Antiques, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
Sight Unseen Translates its Hip Design Fair Into a Rich Digital Experience, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
19 Memorable Design Moments in 2019, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
In Milan, Giacomo Moor Carries Italian Woodworking into the 21st Century, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
Six Design-Forward TV Shows to Stream This Holiday Season, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
How Michael Del Piero Made the Jump from Collector to Designer, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
These Women Designers Are Shaking Up a Male-Dominated Industry, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
Charge While You Lug, The Wall Street Journal (link)
Decant Your Scent, The Wall Street Journal (link)
Judith Leiber Built Her Handbag Empire With Grit and Glitz, 1stDibs Introspective (link)
Object Permanence: Kenyon’s passionate collectors, Kenyon College Alumni Bulletin (link)
Pining for Pyrex: The Latest Midcentury Collectible, The Wall Street Journal (link)
PARENTING
7 Safe Baby Sleep Products To Try Instead of the Rock 'n Play, WorkingMother.com (link)
My Husband is a Better ‘Housekeeper’ Than Me, ScaryMommy.com (link)
WEDDINGS
Some Wedding Sites Also Play Hard to Get, The New York Times (link)