EXHIBITION PROPOSAL
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Nature is a constant source of inspiration in my practice, shaping abstracted landscapes that explore light, movement, and the unexpected depth of the natural world. I am an established artist with over 40 years of exhibition history, alongside extensive experience teaching and mentoring artists of all ages. My work has been recognized through public art installations, awards, and published features. In 1989, I founded Elizabeth Howe Studios, where I continue to develop fine art, collaborate with the design trade on commercial projects, and support emerging artists through mentorship.
I was there once (left), oil on wood panel, 36 x 36 inches
Reflection, 30 × 40 inches, oil and acrylic on cradled wood panel
Let's Face It, oil & acrylic on board, 30 x 36 inches
Confetti Sky, oil on wood panel, 24 x 24 inches
Please Close the Gate, oil on wood panel, 30 x 30 inches
It was a lovely day, oil on a cradled wood panel, 24 x 24 inches
Where it All Began, oil on gesso board, 30 x 30 inches
Somewhere in-between going there & getting there, oil on wood panel, 36 x 30 inches
Artist Statement
I aim to create a sense of connection between the viewer and the natural world. These paintings invite a pause, a moment of recognition, where light, colour, and movement feel familiar and immersive, like a distant memory from time spent outdoors.
My work is shaped by close observation of organic forms and the shifting qualities of light and shadow. Each season offers a different palette, often pushing beyond what we expect nature to look like, and I follow those moments where colour feels heightened or surprising. Working on wood panels, I build landscapes through layers of transparent oil paint and opaque passages, allowing the surface to move between clarity and obscurity. Bold marks establish structure, while pulled and softened areas create a sense of reflection, atmosphere, and motion.
These paintings move between representation and sensation. They reference specific experiences—light on water, wind through trees, fog rolling across a landscape—while leaving space for the viewer to complete the moment. The goal is not to describe a place exactly, but to recreate the feeling of being in it, where perception shifts and time briefly slows.
Artist BIO
Elizabeth Gartner Howe is an established artist based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where she lives and works along the shores of Lake Superior. For over 40 years, she has created paintings rooted in a close connection to the natural world, working both from direct observation and memory. Her work explores the moment when a landscape shifts from something seen to something felt—when light, color, and movement invite a deeper sense of immersion.
Working primarily in oil and acrylic on wood panel, Gartner Howe builds abstracted landscapes through layered transparent and opaque passages. Her paintings balance structure and atmosphere, capturing the effects of wind, water, temperature, and shifting light. Drawing from the heightened color found across the seasons, she often pushes beyond expected palettes to create spaces that feel both familiar and expansive.
Her practice includes both plein air and studio work, as well as a long history of large-scale murals and public art installations. While she values intimate works, she is equally drawn to the physical and emotional impact of larger pieces.
Primarily self-taught, she has studied with artists including Richard Claremont, David Langevin, and Sheila Davis. Her work has been exhibited in galleries, public spaces, and private collections across Canada and the United States, and has been featured in publications and on television.
For over three decades, her studio has also been a place of teaching and mentorship. Through Elizabeth Howe Studios, founded in 1989, she continues to support artists at all stages while developing her own body of work, guided by an ongoing exploration of light, color, and the experience of being in nature.