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Elizabeth Strong Biography

Born in Westport, CT on Feb. 1, 1855. The Strong family lived in Hawaii until 1858 when they settled in Oakland, CA.

Elizabeth began her art studies in San Francisco at the School of Design under Virgil Williams and, during her two years there, won gold and silver medals for her work. In 1879 she sketched on the Monterey Peninsula while sharing a home with her brother Joseph. Through the sales of her pictures of pets of wealthy patrons she was able to save enough money for a lengthy stay in Paris. During the next eight years there she had further study with animal painter Emil van Marcke. Returning to the U.S., she studied at the ASL of NYC under Wm M. Chase (1892-93) and then returned to Paris where she lived until 1905. While there, she ran a small school of her own and exhibited often at the prestigious Paris Salon.

From Paris, she returned to California and lived in Berkeley until 1920. After settling on the Monterey Peninsula, she was active in the local art scene until her death in Carmel on Oct. 30, 1941. Since she specialized in paintings of animals (especially bird dogs), she was sometimes called “the Rosa Bonheur of America.”

Member: SFAA; Sketch Club (SF); Carmel AA (cofounder); Carmel Arts & Crafts Club.

Exhibited: SFAA, 1875-1912; Mechanics' Inst. (SF), 1875-79; Calif. Midwinter Expo, 1894; Calif. State Fair, 1894, 1930, 1935; Paris Salon, 1901; Berkeley AA, 1908; Sketch Club, 1909; Alaska-Yukon Expo (Seattle), 1909 (silver medal); Del Monte Art Gallery, 1910. In: Monterey Peninsula Museum.

Source:
Edan Hughes, "Artists in California, 1786-1940"
Yesterday's Artists on the Monterey Peninsula; Artists of the American West (Doris Dawdy); Women Artists of the American West; American Art Annual 1907-33; Who's Who in American Art 1936-41; Carmel Pine Cone, 10-31-1941 (obituary).