ARTIST AND AUTHOR

ELIZABETH ROBERTSON CAMPBELL

Born Elizabeth Robertson in a small country town called Queenstown in 1960, this multi-talented, self-taught artist is of farming stock from a region known as the Eastern Cape, where English immigrants settled in the 1820's.

After spending her schooldays in the coastal town of East London, where she took art as a subject, Liz went on to studying Graphic art and completed a three year diploma course in Cape Town.

Having always harboured a burning desire to travel, travel she did! Winding up for three years in her favourite place, Israel. It was here in the late 1980's that she developed a life long passion to paint this land and its people.

On her return to South Africa, Liz was led by the broad scope of her creative ability to supplying galleries with works and having three successful solo exhibitions in Cape Town and one in Johannesburg at Hyde Park Centre all during the 1990's.

Amongst her most memorable commissions also during this time – by leading Interior designer, Lional Levin for the hotel chain, Sun International – where a series of 10 one metre by one metre watercolours were painted, showing arum lillies close-up. To which Sol Kerzner, the owner commented, (quote): “These paintings must be the best thing about this hotel!”

Most recently, one of Liz's favourite places to exhibit is at South Africa's most famous botanical garden, Kirstenbosch. It is here at these outstanding exhibits that she has gained her most prestigious international cliente'le. Favoured themes include moody, often stormy landscapes, where clouds and wild skies have become to those familiar with her works, an Elizabeth Robertson Campbell trademark. But probably her greatest love is 'the dust of Africa' – 'I am, after all a farm girl!' this she captures in some shimmering works of men, women and cattle floating in golden light.

One of her many enchanting works that she took recently over to the USA was bought by the ex-financial director of the American Rockerfeller Empire, Mr Stark, where this family had their entire lounge redecorated to accommodate Elizabeth's piece.

A body of 6 works were bought by one couple which now hangs in their most magnificent home along the banks of Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Closer to home, she was commissioned to do an oil painting 4m x 2m in size, of the view of one of the magical homes clinging to our Table Mountain slopes. This successful fine art project brought in further corporate commissions from this successful businessman, opening up many doors for this artist to expand her career.

This is an artist with plans and many opportunities who prefers not be be bound by a specific subject or medium. In fact she prides herself on her versatility and adaptability. “I'm really what you might term a commisioned artist.”

This adaptability has derived a deep satisfaction in her to as it were 'fulfill a clients needs' with beautifully illustrated maps of the Cape Town district whether it be for corporate companies like The Diamond Works, to upmarket accomodation locations, like De Waterkant, or for our exquisite hinter land wine estates, she has illustrated and 'mapped them all!'

Cartooning being another facet to Liz's versatility, set her humour ablaze, freelancing for National Magazines like, Fair Lady, Femina, Getaway, SA Airways, Touchline Sports Illustrated, to Medical Magazines.

One of South Africa's top Publishing House, Clifton Publications commissioned her to do 36 sports cartoons for a card range.

Elizabeth has also had her fare share of working fulltime for STRUIK PUBLICATIONS were she did book design and illustration for one of their many book departments. She says: “Without vision people perish!” and that is why this artist is flourishing as in 2005 one of her dreams came true. She and her husband Jamie Campbell, responded to an irresistible invitation for the second time to visit the USA with her paintings. They were hosted at six wonderfully different venues from wine estates to performing arts schools across the country. She also appeared on two television programmes, one in Nevada and the other in West Virginia and many radio chat shows. The response to her works resulted in being invited back in 2006 to be one of 10 special guests at the annual art fair in Florida called “ARTIGRAS”. Fifteen new works called “Jewels of Africa” were painted and taken over for this prestigues art show, where they were greatly enjoyed and bought.

Her first visit to the States in 2004 co-insided with the launch of her book, “THE CHOICE,” a privately published account of her experiences, which were to change her life forever! THE CHOICE has become a best seller and is now on its third print run here in South Africa and recently published in 2006 in the USA with world wide distribution by the Publishing house Bridge-Logos.

This author-artist has found just another string to her considerable bow: that of sought-after speaker at ladies groups and book-clubs. “Variety really is the spice of my life,” admits this life-affirming woman, now deliriously happily married to Jamie Campbell whose five children give her many new and interesting views on life, she says with a laugh.

She now exhibits and has her studio at the very exciting LaForge Venue. She loves being in the heart of Cape Town at Heritage Square were there is just such a wonderful vibe and mixture between the modern and the old.

Please log on to www.LaForge.co.za and www.CHEESEandWINE.co.za for more information of this historical venue, where one can come and taste our famous Cape Town wines and partake of cheeses which will bring you back for more!

To contact Elizabeth about her art works or her book, you can log onto mwlizrob@mweb.co.za she would love the contact.