Elizabeth Whitehouse

Faces are fascinating! 

A contemporary painter based in the West Midlands, Elizabeth is passionate about representing the human form and honed her life drawing skills at the St. Ives School of Painting. She relishes the challenge of capturing a figure’s naturally intriguing shapes, angles, lines and poses. It is fascinating how the slightest change of a brushstroke can alter the facial expression and therefore the mood of a painting.

The medium that Elizabeth chooses depends on the subject matter. A delicate floral still life may suit watercolour. This process begins as an accurate pencil drawing, concentrating on composition and representation.

The fun starts when the paint is added in a much looser manner, embracing the way the paint flows and colours merge. Anything can happen! The final stage is to reassess the painting and, with a fine liner pen, emphasise some contours of colour and tone, where edges meet or blend. This final stage is the part she enjoys most and defines her unique watercolour style.

Elizabeth will choose to paint in oils when she wants to spend more time on a painting, to go back and move paint around, add layers and play. She finds oils to be more forgiving of indecision! 

Elizabeth’s love for all things vintage fuels her fascination with the social histories behind everyday items. Her extensive collection of vintage clothing is often directly featured in her paintings, or used as inspiration for colour, pattern or a backdrop to a figure.  She also draws inspiration from old family photographs, transforming forgotten portraits into lively, vibrant paintings. Her work reflects snippets of happy nostalgia, blending the charm of vintage fashion with dynamic facial expressions and poses.

Elizabeth Whitehouse Artist – turning the charm of vintage nostalgia into vibrant, expressive paintings.

Genre: Painter

Medium: Oils, Watercolour

Commissions: Yes Workshops: No Demonstrations: No Community Arts Projects: No