An artist and designer for most of her life, Liza Phillips launched Liza Phillips Design in 2004. Having visited several workshops in Kathmandu, Liza became aware of the potential for exploitation in the industry. Because she sought to do everything possible to contribute to the welfare of weavers and their children as they face the future, she signed up with RugMark early on.

Liza discovered rug design while looking for a custom rug for her own home. Her approach to design often begins with a conceptual theme and a color idea. Many rugs in her collection have game themes, such as Ball Court and String Game, which are among her most popular designs, while others are inspired by nature and fine art. She has come to see rug design as a tactile form of painting, well suited to the bold, graphic character of modernism.

Understanding this business as an artistic collaboration with her manufacturers is of critical importance. These rugs are unique pieces, each bearing the skill and focus of individuals with their own lives and families. Humane working conditions are an absolute necessity.

As an artist, Liza has mixed paint all her life, studied color theory, and developed a keen appreciation for the complexity of color and its relationships. Her lifelong involvement with art is rooted in her family, and growing up in an environment filled with modern art and design. Her grandfather was Duncan Phillips, the art collector and founder of the Phillips Collection, and her grandmother was painter Marjorie Phillips. After earning a bachelor’s degree in art history and philosophy at Vassar College, Liza worked in set design, architectural illustration, magazine production and graphic design. She received a Masters of Fine Arts in painting from Chelsea College of Art in London, and continues to exhibit her artwork on an ongoing basis.

During her two years in business, Liza has sold fine rugs through stores, galleries, showrooms and her company website. To view the rugs and learn more, visit www.lizaphillipsdesign.com.

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