I remember when Liza Lou first exhibited her beaded kitchen in 1996. Yes, an entire beaded kitchen. I'd never seen anything like it before, and I couldn't get over the intricacy, bright sparkling colors, and (of course) scale of it all.
I also remember Lou's second big release -- a beaded backyard, complete with beaded grass and a picnic table. But after that, I didn't hear much about her until this week. I was happy to discover that she's still going strong, and even has a current exhibit in Georgia.
(On a side note, it was interesting to learn in a recent article about the exhibit that Lou developed a painful case of tendonitis in her hands after completing the beaded kitchen. I battle repetitive motion injuries myself, and I've never come close to beading an entire room.)
Her latest work arguably shows a higher level of maturity than those initial, crazy-fun displays. It includes sheets and rolls of beadwoven "paper," edgy tapestries, a field of beaded wheat, and a shimmering, golden beaded spinning wheel.
Lou currently manages studios in California and South Africa, and she has a team of assistants to help her bring her designs to life. (Fortunately, because otherwise I'm afraid her hands would be paralyzed.) Although her work is often hailed for its uniqueness, it's also been heavily criticized.
Have you ever seen Lou's work in person?
What do you think about her approach?
Would you ever take on a large-scale beaded art project?
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