ABOUT LIZ

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I’m working primarily in ceramics right now. My artwork is about the celebrity of ornament: its design elements, patterns, material forms and expression of the Feminine.

I straddle the worlds of “decoration”, “craft”, “folkart”, “functional”, “feminism” as my work pulls from historical decorative design, nature and my own experiences as a woman.

Decorative, often functional objects interest and inspire me as participants in celebration, and as forms of beauty. I create through the materials of ceramics, glass and painted surface. My pieces often take the forms of candelabras, menorahs, altars. Or they become purely decorative sculptures, or large platter forms as canvases.

The Arbol de la Vida, “Tree of Life” motif throughout many cultures anchors much of my work currently. In it I see structures of beauty, growth, and abundance. My work reflects these as aspects of femininity, the decorative, beautiful life force.

Liz CV

EDUCATION

Independent Education Consultant certification. UCSD 2019

Majolica Ceramics.  Deruta, Italy. 2018

Master’s in Education Administration, San Francisco State University, 2012

National Board Certification in Fine Art education. 2011

Mosaics. Donna Billick, Davis, Ca. 2003

Secondary Teaching Credential in Fine Art, San Francisco State University, 2001

Garment Design.  Bezalel, Israel. 1985

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Painting. University of California, Davis, 1978

Pottery. Ruby O’Burke Studio. 1967-74

SHOWS

SF OPEN STUDIOS 2023. Group show at Ft. Mason, SF, Ca.

ART IN THE PARK Rotary Club of Los Altos, Ca. 2023

ASSOCIATION OF CLAY AND GLASS ARTISTS Festival 2023. Palo Alto, Ca.

MAJOLICA GARDEN Solo Show 2023. San Geronimo, Ca.

Kaleidoscope Exhibition 2023. Group show. San Francisco, Ca.

Sanchez Art Center Left Coast Annual Juried Exhibition. 2023. Group show. Pacifica, Ca.

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival 2022. Group show and arts festival. Mill Valley, Ca.

California Clay Competition at the Artery. Group show 2022. Davis, Ca.

Seismic State: California Ceramics group show with ACGA, hosted by Sparrow Gallery 2022. Sacramento, Ca.

Ruby’s Legacy NCECA Show 2022. Group show. Sacramento, Ca.

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival 2021. Group show and arts festival. Mill Valley, Ca.

Association of Clay and Glass Artists. 2021. Group show and arts festival. Palo Alto, Ca.

MARIN OPEN STUDIOS SPRING SHOW. 2021. Group show, Corte Madera, Ca

THE PLEASURE OF COLOR. Artworks Downtown, San Rafael, Ca. 2021

FAULTLINES, San Rafael Bartolini Gallery. Group show. 2020

San Geronimo Valley Cultural Center solo show. 2010

San Geronimo Valley Cultural Center Spring Art Show. Group show. 2005-2020

Faculty Art Shows Tamalpais Union High School District. Group show.  2003-2012

Mother & Daughter Paintings: Liz and Mimi. Mechanic’s Institute. San Francisco. 2002

Studio Tavaas, fashion show of hand painted garments. Solo show. Jerusalem 1986

Gumps Post Street Boutique window. Solo show.  San Francisco. 1989

SF Design Concourse, Textile Designs. Group show.1991-96

SF Gourmet Products Show, Textile and Ceramic Designs. Group show. 1992

Atlanta Gift Show, Textile Designs. Group show. 1990-1996

UC Davis Art Center, two women show: Monoprints and Glass, 1978

PUBLIC ART PROJECTS

Redwood High School Campus Mosaic mural installations with students.  2005-2019

Redwood High School Sculpture Garden installation and mosaics with Marin Sunrise Rotary Club, parents and students 2000

BUSINESSES

Liz Lauter.com. Menorahs, candelabras. Present

Designer, textile products, Liz Lauter Designs 1989-present

Studio Tavaas partner, hand painted women’s fashions, accessories and home accents. Israel, 1984-1988

TEACHING

Director of Marin Art Teachers, art workshop program 2014-present

Fine Art, Ceramics Faculty, District Fine Arts Curriculum Coordinator, Redwood High School, Larkspur, Ca. 2000-2019

Art Specialist in the Classroom, Marin JCC 1992-93

After School Children’s Art Program Director and teacher, Rehovot, Israel. 1985-87

BIO

I grew up in San Francisco, California and consider myself a California artist, influenced by a multicultural, creative and thoughtful environment. We did take our family to live in Israel for a few years and that added another dimension of culture to our lives.

I studied Art and Botany in college (Mills College and UC Davis) and always merged the two in my artwork and designs. I consider myself a painter, who is in love with ceramics. I learned ceramics at a young age (11 at Ruby O’Burke’s studio in SF) and have always found a way to work with it and continue learning more about it.

I ran my own textile product design company for 10 years, Liz Lauter Designs where we screen printed my garden designs onto useful textiles, like aprons, totes and t-shirts and sold wholesale. I continue designing products on a smaller scale now through other manufacturers.

In 2000 I needed a regular income and so I began teaching high school art in Marin County, at Redwood High School where I live. I was first hired to teach Photography even though I knew NOTHING about darkroom photography. I learned quickly, and soon took over the Ceramics program where I taught for almost 20 years. I retired in 2019 and finally have all my time to myself to create my work.

We live now just north of San Francisco in a heavenly place called, West Marin, which was the safe haven for the SF Hippies of the 1960’s. In many ways, it still is.

Read more here about the story of my design business, Liz Lauter Designs

PUBLICATIONS

Conversations with Liz Lauter—Voyage LA Magazine/LA City Guide

Link: Conversations with Liz Lauter- Voyage LA Magazine

MAJOLICA GARDEN Interview with Marcia Patrice Ganeles and Liz Lauter 2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUzmFyPpGWs