"I was born in Sacramento, CA, and grew up in a little town called Auburn, a half hour north on I-80. I am Washoe(Lake Tahoe), Maidu(Auburn), and
Navajo(Four Corners). My grandma, Nina Wallace, was very encouraging. She
had me drawing, sewing, and making crafts for as long as I can remember.
While my father, Alan Wallace, was always making jewelry in the garage, I
didn't pick up silver work until I was twenty. I was living in Santa Fe
then, and I took a four week course at the Santa Fe Community College. It
came naturally to me and sold well, so I kept it up. I tried to go
contemporary at first, but that work didn't catch on. I was exposed to a
lot of antique Navajo jewelry though, and when I started cutting my own
turquoise and making butterfly pins, I was able to make a name for myself
and have independence. I've since made classic style bracelets, earrings,
and dragonflies. I love to experiment, so when I had the opportunity to
learn plique a jour
(one of the most difficult enamelling techniques; think of a little
Tiffany window you
can wear), raising (hammering a sheet of silver into a bowl or vase),
chasing (incising a drawing with steel tools onto silver, copper, or
gold) and forging (sculpting with a hammer), I did it. My hobbies include
aikido, bellydance, pilates, yoga, swimming, writing, and painting. All
of that plays into my work as well. I like to keep evolving and moving
forward. I think that is why I was awarded the 2009 SWAIA Fellowship. For
the 2009 Indian Market (August 22 and 23, Sat 7am-5pm, Sun 8am-5pm) I
will have a booth on the Santa Fe Plaza, and will have a silver belly
dance set ("Belladi Melody", bra and belt) and lots of new creature
jewelry. Turquoise crabs, fish, chased koi (big goldfish) pins and
bracelets, orchids, chrysanthemums, spiders, plique a jour cicadas and
dragonflies, garnet ants, as well as a few "Classic Liz Wallace" pieces,
like bracelets and turquoise butteflies. I am really grateful for all
that I have, to all of the awesome teachers I
have learned from, and to every person who has helped me on the way, and
every person who invests in my work. I even get to pass on what I know
sometimes, and help someone else, and that feels good."