Photo: Courtesy of Lizzie Katz
LIZZIE KATZ is passionate about making Judaica and homeware that is relevant and exciting to her contemporaries. Her interest in modern digital design and fabrication processes (including 3D printers and laser cutters) combined with her love for materiality and craftsmanship, make her designs unique and appealing for wide audiences.
“Always navigating the boundaries between sculptural, industrial, architectural, and decorative, I strive to create handmade modern heirloom pieces that standout from the sea of products on the market.” — Lizzie Katz
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
I am half-Cuban and half-Argentinian. I spent my early childhood in the Midwest, but grew up mostly in the heart of Miami. I spent some adult years working in Israel and now, I am raising my family back in the Midwest – in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
What inspired you to become an artist?
Since childhood, I have always had the need to work through problems and understand things through making. I ultimately studied architecture, which has empowered me to design in multiple mediums.
What is your specialty?
I have been creating metal homeware and Judaica pieces that are modern, sculptural and conceptual interpretations of traditional forms. They are functional pieces of art, which I call design.
How and where do you work?
I have a home studio in my basement and work together with a couple of local forges and foundries.
What is the most indispensable item in your studio?
My razor blades, since I use it to cut cardboard and prototype.
Where do you take your inspiration? Are you pursuing any themes?
My inspiration comes from everywhere. From nature, materiality, structure, and the magic of human sensory experience.
What projects are you currently working on?
I am working on some conceptual objects that address the human relationship to technology.
What is your favourite item in your current collection?
I love my brass “candle wax collectors” that fit (almost universally) into hanukah menorahs—including the one that I designed— and solve the problem of wax buildup.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
I never want to stop a designing, but I have many talented and trusted friends and peers who I rely on for feedback in my design process.
Do you do bespoke work?
Yes.
What was the first artwork you ever sold?
Schematic design drawings for the interior of a coffee shop in Israel called Holy Grounds.
Which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?
I enjoy making my limited-edition bronze menorahs (which are exclusively sold through the Jewish Museum Shop in NYC). I get to collaborate with a local bronze foundry, whose owners have been mentors to me.
What do you want to achieve with your work and what are your wishes for the future?
I want to help elevate people’s everyday rituals at home through the design of beautiful and meaningful objects.
Where can we find your work?
Check out www.lizziekatz.com and follow me on instagram @lizziekatzdesigns
Photo: Courtesy of Lizzie Katz
Photo: Courtesy of Lizzie Katz
