Fort Visits

For our next Fort Visit we spoke with Elizabeth Whitcomb of Tapley to get a sneak peak on her practice!

“Elizabeth has amazing style. I've known her for a long time and she has always stood out in the cool and creative way she dresses. When she started making jewelry it all made sense, her intuitive style. She works in an intuitive way when making jewelry, just feels it out. I think she has a sixth sense, a style sense. She is TUNED IN.” - Nana Spears

QWho is your favorite sculptor?

AI’ve always loved Henry Moore, but it’s so hard to choose. I also love Surrealist era Giacometti!!

QWhat is your favorite recent inspiration?

AI thought the Wolfgang Tillmans retrospective at MOMA was incredible.

QWhat are you currently listening to?

AI love this NTS show called Thea HD, I pretty much always have one of her playlists on. Also, the Maria Somerville show on NTS is great for the studio.

QWhat are your current projects?

AI’m working on starting a bunch of projects. Starting is the messiest part of the process, and because I’m actually moving out of my studio for the time being, I want to make the most of being able to make a mess while I can. The pieces I’m working on are mostly earrings, right now.

QCan you speak a bit more about your practice?

AI have to be energized, but not too energized, in order to focus. When I’m starting something new I usually start with doodling some shapes, and go from there. I find myself drawing the same shapes over and over, and I refine them as I draw. Sometimes I play music, sometimes I put on a long podcast, depending on mood. I mostly make things from carving wax, and it’s a meditative process. I sort of let the shape evolve as I work. Because I mostly make jewelry and I’m attuned to size/weight, it’s always sort of a puzzle making something that feels delicate, but not too heavy. I’ve failed at that a lot so I have to really take the weight into consideration from the beginning.

QTell us a weird NYC story.

AI used to work at a restaurant. During one of my first shifts, a man walked in carrying an old upright vacuum cleaner. He wandered around the restaurant, offering to sell it to the confused diners. We had to ask him to leave. I’m not sure if this was a specifically New York story, but it was a bizarre moment.

QAre you reading anything currently?

AThe Hard Crowd by Rachel Kushner
Outline by Rachel Cusk
I Fear My Pain Interests You by Stephanie LaCava
Pure Colour by Sheila Heti
Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler

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