Artist: Elizabeth Barton  SGFA

Artist Biography:

Born 1960, Auckland New Zealand

Elizabeth Barton began drawing somewhere between learning to walk and to ride horses.

Even as a child she drew hand-made cards depicting mainly horses, which were sold.

She was exhibiting in her teens in local art societies in Matamata, selling works to private collectors as well as to galleries.

In 1978, friends took examples of her work with them to the UK which led to openings to take a foundation course at a Royal Academy school. Unfortunately, funds were not available at the time to launch such a venture to train in the UK.

In 1982, Elizabeth graduated from Otago Polytechnic School of Fine Art, majoring in printmaking. In between, she won art prizes, including Highly Recommended Prize in drawing at an exhibition staged at the Chingford Stables in North East Valley, Dunedin.

Prior to leaving for London in 1985, Elizabeth held a successful solo show at Moray Gallery, Dunedin, which included oil paintings, and works on paper consisting of etchings, drawings and lithographs.

In London, she was self-employed as an artist and illustrator in publishing, but also exhibited original works at art galleries.

Notable was an invitation to exhibit at Shop Window in the West End, staged by the Association of Artists and Illustrators in 1988 to show case upcoming new talent, and was a prize winner for Best Original Print at the Society of Graphic Fine Art annual show in 1993.

In 2000, Elizabeth trained to become a professional pilot, having flown privately since 1997.

Although departing from illustration and commercial art, Elizabeth continues to paint and draw when not flying, and has recently made a fresh foray into fine art with new works.

Her art is mostly works of the imagination, being a fusion of romantic symbolism and surrealism, drawn from dreams, alchemy and mythology, expressed chiefly as fine drawings and etchings. She also enjoys drawing from life, and creating fine studies of nature.