Liza Pike



Liza Pike

About The Artist

Liza Pike • Mill Valley, CA
Basketry

I love to work with textiles, threads, fabric, paper and fibers. Using a variety of materials including paper covered wire, waxed linen, thread, rope, hemp, paper pulp and other soft materials, I like to weave, sew, paint and stitch pieces that reflect some aspect of the world around us. My sculptural baskets often include asymmetry, whimsy, bumpiness, curves and humor. I’m intrigued by when and where baskets become sculpture and vice versa. The vessels are made with a variety of materials including waxed linen, leather, paint, cedar, paper and wire. I tend to use natural looking and feeling materials.



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Q&A with the Artist

Tell us how your work is made.

I use a variety of techniques to construct my sculptural baskets including twining with waxed linen and using a random weave technique where I make a form and them weave materials in and out of it. My structures are typically made with wire rush. Often, I paint the piece once it is complete.


What makes you passionate about the medium you work with?

I love working with soft materials including thread, waxed linen, paper, paper pulp and paper covered wire. I like how they feel to work with and how they look once they’re created. The process of twining and weaving is meditative and the exploration of color and shape is endless. ! am drawn to 3d forms that mimic something in the natural world.

What is something unique about you or your practice?

My work is designed to have a twist on traditional basketry technique and form. I particularly love it when baskets become sculpture and vice versa. I love to create forms that say something about the world we live in. I also love whimsical shapes that have elements of humor. While I love baskets in many shapes and sizes, I like to bring something unexpected to my pieces.