Historically, the general trajectory of art practice has been dominated by men. However, times have changed, as we find statistically there are more women in art schools, more women represented in museums, the female presence in galleries (as not just receptionists), and a few female business owners. Female artists have infiltrated the system and have adopted typically masculine practices for their own, redefining gender in art. Although there is a strong female presence in the art world today, it does not seem to have stopped stereotypes. The role of gender in the art world still seems to continue; this is a dialogue in which we want to participate. The third artist in our #5womenartists series is Elizabeth Oberman.
Elizabeth is an award-winning watercolor painter and portrait artist and is a signature member and vice president of several watercolor societies in the tri-state area. Art has long played an important role in her life; she finds that the medium of watercolor allows her to convey her personality as both an artist and observer. Working in a more journalistic style, rather than that of a traditional portrait painter, Elizabeth enjoys painting people as they relate to their environment. In her paintings, she strives to capture a likeness to her subjects and is drawn to their character and the stories they have to tell. Typically, Elizabeth chooses subjects that “evoke a mood, capture the light, and.. cast an impression of the times that we live in.”
While working, she almost never uses the color black, and instead prefers to make more colorful whites, grays, and darks from mixtures of colors. “One of the things I love most about watercolors is the way the pigments run and blend into each other on the paper. I find the act of painting very relaxing… and it brings me a great sense of accomplishment.” Elizabeth initially began to showcase due to the encouragement of her eight year old son and has continued because she finds “it is the natural progression of finishing a piece of art” and it has allowed her to be a part of an encouraging community of fellow artists.
