Elizabeth Cameron Art Page

Commissioned Art Work

Portrait Painter

None of this work can be copied without permission from
the Artist, Elizabeth Cameron. All work is copyrighted.
Contact horseart2@gmail.com

Artist Biography

"Libby" in the studio.

Once Upon A Time...
I grew up with six siblings and a love for cats, dogs, and horses.
I drew animals and wildly rode our family horses and ponies in
"seat of the pants" school style along the Des Plaines river trails.

As a rebellious teen I was restless and attended
four high schools, having little interest in all subjects except art! On the
advice of my father's art director friends, it was to my parents intense relief
that I was accepted instantly at Layton School of Art & Design
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I quickly won a scholarship there on the strength
of my drawings and it changed and focused my life.


I sculpted,drew,painted and explored a wide range of media for four years.
I graduated in 1974 with a painting major and the grand plan to waitress so I would have
LOTS of time to paint. Career counseling did not exist at Layton: consequently
"CLUELESS" doesn't begin to cover it!

Juggling two waitress jobs and a church bulletin proofreading position left me
with no health insurance, living in a dive, and working long hours. I wised up, saved a third
of my $3k annual income and bought a VW Beetle to get to proper job interviews!

I was hired as an editor/artist at the largest chidren's book publisher
in the USA. It had a rural setting in Racine, Wisconsin, and I promptly bought an Arab mare.
I learned to write coloring and activity books for Mickey Mouse and
an assortment of licensed characters during the day and painted
or rode my horse in the evenings.

Later, the company was bought and the idyllic work climate evolved into a
high pressure corporate style. I decided to make a change and interviewed
with various ad agencies in Chicago. I was told I was next to be hired on the
list of a very prominent one. So after 9 years, I quit the publishing job
and bought a ticket to see Europe in the meantime. Following some
quick research, I left on a whirlwind 30 day tour of many countries.

However, my first stop was for tea with the chairman of the board of Foote Cone & Belding
ad agency in London, as he was a friend of my fathers. I explained that I was seeing Europe
before I was "next hired". During the conversation I pulled
photographs of my paintings out of my purse and showed them to him.
He looked up at me and said "Of course you can work for an agency.
The question is WHY would you want to?"
To my amazement he continued
"With a talent like this you can go anywhere and do anything."

Thus the remainder of my 30 day tour was spent looking for a country.
I called my dad from Barcelona, and asked if I'd be disowned if I "tried painting for a year."
He laughed and said "Hey, I'm retired after 35 years and now live on a boat,
my advice is to go do what you want!"
I returned to the states, paid the board on my horse for
a year in advance and sold everything I possibly could.

I arrived in Marbella, Spain that February 22, with a suitcase of clothes
and a suitcase of art supplies. I didn't know a soul and couldn't speak
the language since I had flunked all my high school foreign languages.
I spent the first two days in tears.

Luckily I met "Arnold", a wonderful white haired gay man from New York.
He advised me to move to his cheaper/better hotel, and we visited in the lobby
after I had checked in. As we spoke, a tall beautiful woman overheard our voices.
She introduced herself as a homesick fellow American and upon seeing my
'show and tell' purse painting photos, invited me to come paint at her house.
She handed me her business card and the name read "Countess Brenda Cassini".

I hiked to her house in the hills the next day and was greeted
warmly at the door. When I entered, my life changed again.
There were photos of her husband with President Kennedy and many other famous
people. Brenda sat us down on the couch, told me to pull out my photos
and announced to her husband "Libby's an artist, and we know
how many artists come here... but she's a REAL artist, just look at these!"

I had just started painting some hunting dogs and was beginning some portraits
of family and friends. I soon figured out that the surrealism I pursued in
art school paled in comparison to my love of the natural and real world
which was becoming my focus.

Count Cassini ("Ghighi") smiled and asked how I got to the house.
When I told him I had walked from town, he raised his eyebrows.
He looked at Brenda and then said to me "Well you'll have to have one
of our cars." When I protested, he insisted "We have five, we don't need them all."

The fairytale went on with the Cassini's becoming lifelong friends and
commissioning many paintings and recommending me to their friends.
I stayed near them in Spain for a fabulous year, but I missed my family.
I began life again in the States, this time as a full time portrait painter.
I built a farm near some rural river trails and continue my life's delight
of creating commissioned portrait paintings of animals and
the people who love them.


The End?
(Well not quite!)
Would you like to hear more of the story?
And see photos of all the art and animals?
Like most good fairy tales, there have been ups and
downs, challenges and fights with evil. One year my painting
arm was very badly injured (yes a horse). I spent recovery time with
my arm propped up on a pillow typing the story of my art
and my life. Now that I'm back to painting, the manuscript
rests quietly in the desk drawer awaiting Prince Charming's kiss
...or an agent or publishers interest!
If you know of anyone likely, well please pass this along and THANK YOU!

Earliest known photo of the artist observing
those things called horses!

Do you have friends & family who care
about their loved ones like you do?
Please let them know how I can be of service.
Your referrals are my highest compliment!
Thank you.

Videos: How I Paint
The Love of Grays
2009 Paintings!
Paintings That Are For Sale
Corporate Casual
The Stier-Johnson Family
The Cameron Family Portraits
Artist Biography
Paintings From 2006
... The Newest Paintings!
Carriage Driving!
Paintings From 2004-2005
Foxhunt & Hound Series
More Progress In The Foxhunt & Hound Series
My cartoon books
Page 1. - Portraits
Page 2. - Portraits
Page 3. - Portraits
Page 4. - Portraits
Page 5. - Portraits
Page 6. - Portraits
Page 7. - Portraits
Page 8. - Dog Portraits
Page 9. - More Dog Portraits
Page 10. - Flower Paintings In Bloom
Page 11. - Dogs, Dogs & More Dogs!
Page 12. - Never Too Many Dogs!
Page 13. - Dogarama Spectacular!
Page 14. - Life With Horses
Page 15. - Hunting & Horses
Page 16. - Sibling & Scenics
Page 17. - Childhood Horses & Puppy Pix
Page 18. - Horse Portraits
Faerietale Farm Reality
Procedures & Prices


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