At the tender age of 22, Elizabeth Shaw has already begun making a name for herself in the world of art. Inspired by the natural beauty of Napa Valley and born into a family of musicians and visual artists, Shaw has had the benefit of exceptional surroundings and a strong aptitude for all things creative.
Shaw’s grandmother, painter and sculptor Dawn Andrews, was well known in art circles in New York in the late 60s and 70s, was close friends with Helen Frankenthaler, and a frequent collaborator on many large oil canvases with her partner, renowned abstract expressionist painter, Jules Olitski.
Napa Valley is fertile ground for many artistic endeavors, be they in the culinary arts, the art of winemaking, or visual art. In addition to the valley’s internationally acclaimed food and wine scene, the area is also a magnet for world-class visual artists and writers and a watering hole for touring musicians in every genre. Growing up in the valley, Shaw was immersed in all of this. Her parents were professional musicians (her mother was also a designer), and she grew up around other friends and family who were either musicians or visual artists.
Shaw was surrounded by art — at home, at various art studios where she studied, and at the many institutions she frequented throughout her formative years — the Hess Collection, di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, the DeYoung Museum, and the Crocker Art Museum.
Eye Jazz, 2021
Shaw showed a natural inclination toward visual arts early on and was amply supplied with all manner of art-making supplies, basically whatever was required, as she experimented with every genre imaginable. She quickly moved from textile arts to collage-making to jewelry and accessories, acrylic and oil painting, charcoal and pencil drawings, copic marker portraits, photography, functional and artistic ceramics, and found-object creations. In the development of her artistic technique, Shaw studied art at Studio 25 (Sonoma), Mendocino Art Center, Nimbus Arts (St. Helena), Napa High School, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan, and most recently at Napa Valley College, where she was an art major. Shaw now has her full-time art studio in downtown Napa.
Shaw’s current focus is on oil painting (abstracts and portraiture) and vibrant acrylics, some with mixed media. She has been experimenting with various expressive styles, some with strong geometric rhythm, others with a softer and more ethereal voice, and others with tender natural overtones and patterns. Current influences on her evolving style include Bauhaus, David Hockney, Helen Frankenthaler, and, on some occasions, Salvador Dali.
Shaw is also a budding entrepreneur, having launched two business ventures in the two years, one for her craft jewelry, which has been very popular at the Napa and St. Helena Farmer’s Markets and online, the other for her art prints and custom portraiture. Her original works can be purchased directly through the artist, as can limited edition prints.
