Liz Nankin was born and raised in Los Angeles and now permanently makes Bowen Island home. A multi-disciplinary artist, as a child she had a great love for dioramas--which started her on a journey of creating a world of make believe and theater. For over 40 years Liz has been a costume designer in indie film, television, theater and dance. While raising her 3 children (who all became adult artists!) Liz worked in schools across Los Angeles creating art curriculum for students who needed to access and voice their intelligence by creating work within the school pedagogy. Liz’s costume work gets inspiration through creating visual narrative from humanity.

 

A great love of vintage clothing and music is infused in the all her work. Whether going into a museum or walking into a hardware store, Liz sees how color, texture, line, silhouette tells a story. Every ten years Liz likes to learn something grand and new which led her to the art of puppetry. She joined the bob baker marionette theater where she became a puppeteer and opened a whole new medium of storytelling.

 

As well as performing Liz became a puppet constructor and designer. Liz co-created Bowen Fables, a series of six short shadow puppet films exploring the history and lore of Bowen Island partnering with the Bowen Island Museum and Archives and was awarded a municipal arts grant. Liz is an art council member of the Hearth gallery on Bowen. Liz loves to create community projects by encouraging everyone that they have to contribute artistically in any way. While making Bowen island her new home, nature has been her best teacher. The feedback of walking in the forest and along our bay shores is boundless and feels it is her responsibility to protect.