My interest in painting was suddenly ignited by my first painting class with a live model. It was in a summer workshop with Robert Brackman in his Connecticut studio, immediately after college. Following that baby step on my new found path, I encountered inspiration by the canvases of the masters that I visited in museums and later with extraordinary teachers. What always impressed me was how capable they all were in approaching virtually any subject. As a result, I regarded it as an important aspect of my own training as an artist in this tradition to learn to paint all subjects: the portrait, figure, landscapes, still life and interiors. An Intense education followed for five years at the Art Students League of New York in painting and drawing.

The Still Life introduces opportunities for subjects which lends itself well for all types of moods, colors, and textures - qualities artists like. Whether the focus is fruit, vegetables, or flowers, there is a wealth of information and texture and essence to describe and explore. I constantly ask myself, “What will happen if I place these juicy pears just so, or one in front of a gathering of white mums or purple pansies? How will the natural light reveal the intricacies in the extraordinary character of this single pear’s magical form?” For me, the discovery of newness and timelessness are intertwined within the journey to one’s own expression. I believe that from a vortex of nebulous atmosphere, forms defined by light and shade and color can add to the  unfolding upon the canvas which can be uniquely rich in emotional content. In this way, painting is about experiencing life. 

Along with painting still life and nature, I began to practice and learn about yoga. As in painting, Yoga became a life long practice and continues to evolve into a more personal experience and a place to become infused with love and light. In my art, the foundations from the study of anatomy allow me to express myself more, whether in still life or the human figure. Similarly in Yoga I discovered that having a solid structure in asanas and knowledge of the body in the poses allows me to explore the potentials more fully.

Yoga has moved me to painting symbolically the knowledge of our interior body and how that influences our mind, body and spirit. I am able to draw upon my use of light and shadow, while color becomes more important and primal as I represent energy centers. 

As a contemporary female artist, Elizabeth’s paintings are poetic realizations crafted out of her spontaneous response to beauty as it reveals itself through her subject. Her paintings are in many private collections throughout the US and internationally. This prolific painter has won numerous awards, including the Anna Hyatt Huntington Horse Head for Best Painting, the Helen DeCozen Prize for a Floral,and George J.Morales Award for still life. Elizabeth’s images have been reproduced by numerous companies, such as te Neues Publishing Group for greeting cards,  Kaukauna Cheese, and Cook’s Illustrated covers. In her travel journal page on her website she shares some illuminating thoughts about her experiences visiting museums in the U.S. and abroad.

Elizabeth  wrote and published a children’s picture book, Sadie Bug. She is currently writing and illustrating her second book in the Sadie Bug series. Her wise and curious little Boston Terrier posts her life’s adventures on Sadie Bug’s facebook page.