About Liz
Liz Walker was born in Pennsylvania and raised in San Antonio, Texas--a large metropolitan city infused with the culture, language, and architecture of Mexico. This experience has had a profound and positive affect on her life and most certainly influences how she chooses the colors and subject matter in her paintings.
In 1980, Liz received a B.A. in Art from Trinity University, but, like many artists, found financial security in an unrelated field: writing software user manuals for a computer company. After that, art and creativity took a backseat to building a 10 year career in technical writing. Growing restless and dissatisfied with the demands of the high tech world (especially after her daughter was born in 1993) Liz took a night class in watercolor and rediscovered her artistic passion--and churned out 100 paintings in the first year!
In 1997 after considerable soul-searching, Liz quit her stressful job and devoted herself completely and wholeheartedly to the thing she was put on this earth to do--PAINT. Life is a balancing act--juggling her family's needs along with her artistic ambitions--but every bit of it is worth the effort.
Watercolor was Liz's first medium of choice, but since 2005 she has begun painting primarily in acrylics and acrylic marbling. Her paintings have been exhibited both locally and nationally and have won numerous awards. Many of her paintings are in private collections in Texas, Massachusetts, California, Colorado and Oregon.
In 1980, Liz received a B.A. in Art from Trinity University, but, like many artists, found financial security in an unrelated field: writing software user manuals for a computer company. After that, art and creativity took a backseat to building a 10 year career in technical writing. Growing restless and dissatisfied with the demands of the high tech world (especially after her daughter was born in 1993) Liz took a night class in watercolor and rediscovered her artistic passion--and churned out 100 paintings in the first year!
In 1997 after considerable soul-searching, Liz quit her stressful job and devoted herself completely and wholeheartedly to the thing she was put on this earth to do--PAINT. Life is a balancing act--juggling her family's needs along with her artistic ambitions--but every bit of it is worth the effort.
Watercolor was Liz's first medium of choice, but since 2005 she has begun painting primarily in acrylics and acrylic marbling. Her paintings have been exhibited both locally and nationally and have won numerous awards. Many of her paintings are in private collections in Texas, Massachusetts, California, Colorado and Oregon.
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Resume
Education Trinity University, 1976-1980 San Antonio, Texas B.A. in Art; specialized in painting (acrylics on canvas) DeCordova Museum School, 1991-1998 Lincoln, Massachusetts Attended numerous watermedia workshops led by nationally known artists including: Pat San Soucie, Chris Keylock Williams, Judy Morris, Harold Walkup, Michael Schlicting, Robert Burridge, Betsy Dillard Stroud, and Eric Weigardt Exhibits Solo Exhibits Village Gallery of Arts--February 2011, Portland Oregon Portland City Hall (Dan Saltzman's office) June 2009 Nancy's Kitchen May 2009, Portland Oregon "Colorscapes", a Multnomah Art Center Solo Exhibit - March 2002, Portland, Oregon Open Studios in Portland, Oregon; 2001 and 2002 Village Gallery of Arts -- 2001, 2006 Portland, Oregon Selected Group Exhibits Northwest Watercolor Society "Waterworks" show, October 2012 Multnomah Art Center Group Show, May 2012 "From Pattern To Painting: The Art of Marbling" Northwest Watercolor Society Annual Open Exhibit - Spring 2010 in Seattle, WA National Watercolor Society Member Show, Spring 2009 in San Pedro, CA Opaque/Transparent: 2 Artists/2 Views, Multnomah Art Center, March 2006 "A River Runs Through It" at Portland City Hall, December 2005 National Watercolor Society Member Show, Spring 2005 Northwest Watercolor Society Waterworks show; Fall 2003 in Seattle, WA Celebrating Women: Their Strength and Vision , March 2004 at Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID; Women's Work series of 7 paintings Up Close in Pink exhibit for breast cancer awareness; September, 2003 at the Portland YWCA Oregon Society of Artists' Rose Show, 2000-present Celebration of Creativity, Southminster Presbyterian Church, March 2004 & 2009 in Beaverton, Oregon Littman & White Gallery at Portland State University--September 2001, Portland, Oregon Beaverton Art Gallery - March 2001 Beaverton Arts Commission Annual Showcase --February 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009 Beaverton, Oregon |
Memberships Oregon Society of Artists Village Gallery of Arts (currently serving as Vice-President) Watercolor Society of Oregon (currently serving as Publicity Chair) Northwest Watercolor Society (Signature Member) National Watercolor Society Awards Northwest Vision Award, NWWS Waterworks Show in Bothell, WA for "Even In the Quietest Moments #12" Honorable Mention (Theme Category), Portland Rose Show 2012 for "On The Rocks With a Twist" Honorable Mention (Rose Category), Portland Rose Show 2011 for "Roses and Black Lace" 1st Place Award , Oregon Society of Artists Juried Show, March 2011 for "What's Cooking #1?" 1st Place Award (Rose Category), Portland Rose Show 2010 for "Pink Burst" 1st Place Award (Theme Category), Portland Rose Show 2009 for "Another Round No. 1" Watercolor Society of Oregon Spring 2009 show; Award of Distinction for "On The Town" Watercolor Society of Oregon Spring 2008 show; Third Place for "Luck of the Draw #1" Northwest Watercolor Society, Fall 2007 Juror Merit Award for "Luck of the Draw #1" Village Gallery of Arts Touch of Red show; Second Place for "A House Divided" Village Gallery of Arts theme show Aug. 2004; Honorable Mention for "Sofa Seat No.5 With Cat" OSA Rose Show 2003; Honorable Mention Awards for "Rose Finfare" and "Sofa Seat No.2" Watercolor Society of Oregon Fall 2003 show; Award of Distinction for "Free Falling" Publications "Lap of Luxury: Selected Paintings 2000-2012" self-published; available at www.blurb.com Featured in the book "How to Enter Shows, Win Awards and Become Famous" by Harold Walkup, 2008 CALYX, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women Vol. 22, no. 1, Winter 2003/2004; Images of seven paintings in my Women's Work series were reprinted in this publication. |
