Elizabeth attended Parsons School of Design in NYC where she earned a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. After graduation she spent six months living in Taiwan where she studied Chinese painting and Chinese language. Upon returning to New York she enrolled at Teacher’s College, Columbia University where she continued to study Chinese language and art, and earned a Master of Arts degree in Art and Education.

Her artwork falls into two genres: Chinese brush painting using traditional black ink and rice paper and more recently, painting on habotai silk using french dyes.  Her Chinese paintings can be seen at brushpaintings.com. Both art forms are similar in that the brush strokes must be rapid and unhesitating. Both rice paper and silk provide soft absorbent surfaces upon which no mistakes can be made. While on rice paper she uses only gradations of black ink, the silk allows her to use all the colored hues of the earth, water and sky.

In keeping with traditional Chinese aesthetics which is founded on Taoism and Zen Buddhism, the goal of her paintings is to allow a connection to the viewer in an emotionally transcendent way.  It is her goal to express the inner “spirit,” the essence of a subject, whether it be flowers, birds, trees or fish. The painting should allow room for the viewer’s imagination to roam and invest life in the scene.  Her paintings reflect her awe and passion for the beautiful flora and fauna which live both above and below the horizon, and their ever changing forms as reflected by the seasons.

Elizabeth believes the way to better one’s art is to work on one’s understanding and spirit first. These works are the result of three years of effort. They are just the beginning of many more to come. She hopes you will enjoy her journey.