Rebecca Brown's Interview with
Li Hertzi
Illustrator of
Menopause Pink

Rebecca :
As I rarely hear from Illustrators & to me, if the book is illustrated, they are as important as the author, so I was thrilled when Li Hertzi made contact thanking me after seeing my review of Terri's book.

Menopause Pink is a book of chuckling aphorisms, cartoons, quotes & stories by & about women passing through the time of their lives & coming out the other end happier, funnier & full of wisdom, vim & vigor made all the more beautiful by Li Hertzi's illustrations!

Li :
You are the kind of person I love! We illustrators sometimes feel like an under-appreciated bunch & being artists & all, we just love to hear that!

Rebecca :
How did Terri Malucci find you for Menopause Pink?

Li :
Teri & I had been friends for quite awhile. She told me on & off about this book & kept saying that I would, of course, do the graphics. I thought it was interesting, but seriously, didn't really think it would happen until one day we were munching away on spicy sandwiches & she produced a pile of paper. It looked surprisingly like the book she kept mentioning. That was how it began.

Rebecca :
Why do you think menopause is such a watershed in women's lives?

Li :
I am still to the west of it. Working on Teri's book lessened any fear associated with its approach. I am at that point where I am realizing that the life I thought I was going to have is not eminent...not even possible, this has been an amazing year for me -- sautéing in both the delightful newness & possibility & the loss of all that perceived potential!

Rebecca :
How did you come to creating Goddess Soft Sculptures?

Li :
I have been sewing my whole life & only in the last 13 years really been interested in figures. I was teaching a class in Nederland (Small mountain town with students that really do live in tp's) of boys how to sew. They were not into it to say the least, so after confiscating several transformers, we decided to just make them. They made boy dolls that turned into cars or guns or for some reason...evil mice!

I started making dolls then -- although dolls is a bit of a misnomer -- they are playful but not playthings! Anyway then I got to doing classes on line & it all evolved from there. I now make patterns for the dolls, sell them & teach, as well as making them myself.

I also teach dollmaking on line, well, Goddess Soft Sculpture actually, but dolls of unique stature are what you create.

Rebecca :
In what materials do you create your figurines & how large are they? Where are they now?

Li :
They are out of cloth mostly with some painting & occasional clay hands, feet, grins, etc. They range from tiny (3 inches) to 4 feet tall! They are all over my studio, in several restaurants & each one longs for the gallery life!

I love drawing, often relegated to “preparation for art” instead of “art”, it is pushed behind the oils & so often contains a succulent wisdom lost in the final paintings! I would spend every day drawing funny little people, beautiful landscapes or noodling through the myriad of ideas resident in me, if I could. My hope is that my delight shows!

Rebecca :
Oh, it does, Li! Readers, if you want to see this artist's delight -- do check out: www.lihertzidesign.com for a look at how dazzling & exciting, lush & evocative is this artist's connection to The Muse. Sew News Magazine also contains Li Hertzi's work.

Li :
As an aside, Rebecca, “There's nothing like eavesdropping to show you that the world outside your head is different from the world inside your head.” - Thornton Wilder.

You can contact me these ways:

LIHertzi Design
760-434-4921
or email: lihertzi@mindspring.com or lihertzi@lihertzidesign.com

Rebecca :
Remember to check out Menopause Pink, the book that started this conversation & brought to my sight/site this delightful artist.

Rebecca Brown
(Published January 13, 2002)