Liz Smith's Tour de France

In the fall of 2014, Elizabeth Smith welcomed me to the Harrison Center with open arms, excited to share her studio. Through numerous conversations since, her love of travel, and of France in particular, is no secret. She’s been four times in the last two years. “Kate, you have to go,” Liz has told me many times… and she’s absolutely right.

Until then, I’ll tour her new exhibition My Tour de France, opening January 5 in the Harrison Gallery. Liz has translated her passion for Paris into a series of paintings and beaded sculpture.

Liz’s paintings are multi-layered kaleidoscopes of color and pattern created in recent years(many while watching France’s famed 3-week bicycle race). They contain hints of her travels through France – think rose windows, altarpieces, and the Eiffel Tower – as well as the color and feel of countrysides and old cities.

In addition to her paintings, I’ve looked on as Liz carefully constructed beaded structures resembling snowflakes over these last few years. One after another, the meticulously assembled bead and wire forms took shape and while I don’t know what the final combined installations will look like, I’m excited to find out along with all of you.

My Tour de France will hang through January 26.