BIO

I grew up in New York City, across the park from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I spent long hours there, falling in love with the paintings of the Italian and Flemish Renaissance Masters and French Impressionists. I majored in Art at UC Santa Cruz, and was lucky enough to spend my junior year in Florence studying classical drawing and painting techniques. I started my graduate study at Parsons School of Design's MFA Painting Program, but left early to move to Rhode Island and pursue my painting career.

For almost three decades I have divided my time between Jamestown, RI, and Nantucket, MA, working and exhibiting my paintings in an annual show in Nantucket. Major projects include co-founding the Jamestown Arts Center, producing a documentary film about a site specific Nutcracker Ballet, and having a large scale exhibition at the Newport Art Museum.

In 2016 I decided to move out to California to complete my MFA degree at Laguna College of Art and Design, one of the few figurative art schools in the country. Next to being married for twenty years to my husband and being mother to our beautiful daughter, this was the most amazing experiences of my life.

EDUCATION

Laguna College of Art and Design, MFA in Painting with honors, 2018
Parson's School of Design, MFA Painting Program, one term 1989

UC Santa Cruz, B.A., 1985

EXHIBITIONS HIGHLIGHTS : SOLO

Robert Foster Fine Arts (2011-2019)

Newport Art Museum, Ilgenfrtiz Gallery (May-August 2014)

South Wharf Gallery, Nantucket MA (2001 - 2011)

Main Street Gallery, Nantucket, MA (1994-97)

Alliance Francais, Washington DC (2003)

Nicole Saul-Kogut Gallery, Potomac MD (2000, 2001)

Windows with a View, Newport RI (2002)

Jamestown Philomenian, Jamestown RI (1996, ’02, ’11, '15, '18)

City Hall, Lincoln Chaffee's Offices, Warwick RI (1993)

Veterans Hall, Providence, RI (1992)

EXHIBITIONS HIGHLIGHTS : GROUP

Artist Association of Nantucket (1999-2019)

Regarding Reality, Q Gallery, Santa Ana, CA (2018)

Emerging Artists, Laguna Museum of Art, Laguna Beach CA (2017)

Taking Measure, Town Hall, Laguna Beach Town Hall, (2017)

MFA Portrait show, Cast of Crowns, Laguna Beach (2017)

Newport Juried Members Show (2000,2001, 2014)

Jamestown Arts Center "Members Show" (2013-16, 2018)

Jamestown Arts Center “Collaboration” (2008-12)

The Jamestown Gallery, Jamestown RI (2009 - 2010)

Egan Institute, Nantucket Art Association (2007, ’09, ’11)

Didi Suydam Studio, Newport RI (2008)

Alliance Francais, Washington, DC (2001)

O. Duncan Connelly Fine Art Gallery, Italian Institute, SF CA (1995)

Lee Arthur-Christian Bardenheuer Studio, NYC NY (1994)

PRESS

Jamestown Press, November 29, 2018

https://www.jamestownpress.com/articles/anything-but-a-still-life/

"For Elizabeth Congdon, painting is magic. An oil painter who works in the French Post-impressionist style, Congdon is drawn to depicting realistic scenes so she can watch the images come together on the canvas...."

Cape Cod Art, Summer 2017

https://capecodlife.com/publications/cape-cod-life/

"Elizabeth Congdon recalls always being “that kid, drawing constantly.” An art major in college, Congdon went to Florence for her junior year to learn how to draw and paint well. Today, whether she’s painting a home interior, still life or landscape, passion pervades Congdon’s work—and with it, a hint of Italy...."

Yesterdays Island, July 23, 2015

http://yesterdaysisland.com/0723201512-painting-beauty-elizabeth-congdon/

"Elizabeth Congdon sees her work as “a diary written with pigment and brush.” She paints from life to watch the nuances of the natural world and uses these studies to work on a large scale or combine with still life..."

NewportRI.com, May 2014

https://www.newportri.com/article/20140730/NEWS/307309870

"She learned the techniques of the Renaissance masters studying in Italy her junior year of college. And you could say Elizabeth Congdon is a Renaissance woman, though she wouldn’t exactly put it that way. She is a painter, mom, world traveler, co-founder of the Jamestown Arts Center in her island hometown, and the driving force behind a documentary now in post-production about the magical world of Island Moving Company’s annual production of the Nutcracker ballet at Rosecliff. Her show “Heaven and Earth” is up through Aug. 12 at the Newport Art Museum...."

I Love You Often, January 17, 2013

http://iloveyouoften.com/guest-perspective-elizabeth-congdon/

"Painter, Ballet Mom, Wife, and Chicken Whisperer (not necessarily in that order). “Lizzie” divides her time between Jamestown, Rhode Island and Nantucket, Massachusetts. She was one of the original founders of the Jamestown Arts Center and is now the Producer of a dance documentary featuring the Island Moving Company , while working on her 2014 Newport Art Museum exhibiton. Elizabeth’s collection of resplendent canvases are a year round staple at Robert Foster Fine Art in Nantucket."