Hello, I'm Elizabeth Buck.
Art Observing nature in motion is the source of inspiration for my work, translating movement into a solid form: animal behavior, predator-prey interactions, and the flow of energy through ecosystems. In the Huntress and Gatherer Group, I was first inspired to create a prey species, the Gatherer. But the Gatherer looked extra-terrestrial. I wondered, if it were an E.T., who’s the predator? The Huntress species was developed. But the two species needed an ecosystem. This led to all kinds of fascinating questions. What are the key behaviors of a predator or prey species that would be recognizable, even on another planet? Would these life forms have carbon-based chemistry like life on Earth, or could they be silica-based? How would these species interact with each other, the terrain, and their ecosystem? Creating predator-prey interactions in an imaginary ecosystem was a complex, engaging task. "Discovered on the 4th planet from the sun in the Rigel system, the Huntress species is intelligent and highly interactive. Cooperative hunting behavior, play, and competition for pack status have been observed. Their tough yet flexible outer layer and hoof-like suctioning feet are high in silica." Huntresses are prone to sneaking up on each other in mock-hunt play. The studio felt like a display of 3D still shots from an extraterrestrial nature video. One collector had a visceral reaction, saying “I wouldn’t want to run into these in a dark alley!” That feeling of predation had been translated into movement. “These works make us question how we know that something is alive.” - Suzanne Schaffer, PhD Education My arts education began when I spent my gap year at the Huntington Fine Arts workshop in Huntington, New York with sculptor Joe Mack, establishing the artistic and technical foundation for 3-D work. At Hampshire College, I recieved my B.A. studying art with a biological focus, then continued in an MFA program at the University of Arizona, Phoenix. In Los Angeles, I acquired foundry skills, becoming a partner in a bronze art foundry and a science teacher. Currently I can be found in my Los Angeles studio, studying, sculpting and writing.