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ABOUT THE ARTIST - Elizabeth Cogley

The love of the bush and it's inhabitants, which are forever changing and never dull, is what inspires Elizabeth to paint. She wants to share this love with other people through the final image.

She works in mixed media and loves to pay attention to detail. Elizabeth has a Diploma in Art/Design and has received several awards in the Wildlife Art Society of Australasia annual exhibitions, and many other exhibitions around Australia.

Depending on the environment airbrushing, pastel or acrylic, or a combination of these is used. The creature usually begins with layers of watercolour then more detailed work follows in pencil and finally gouache. Each piece of work takes approximately four weeks to complete.

Having the constant interaction with wildlife and their habitats enables her to have a good understanding of her subject. Portraying the animals in their environment is an important part of Elizabeth's work. She believes our unique and beautiful ecosystems are very delicate and that our existence depends on their survival.

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Elizabeth was born in Melbourne, Australia where as a child she won several awards in local shows and completed the occasional commission.

Stories at Primary School of the Man from Snowy River, Swagmen and Stories of Aborigines and our Australian History, were some of the things that encouraged Elizabeth to begin drawing. She spent a lot of time illustrating these stories in great detail, on the front pages of her exercise books, to the delight of her teachers. In grade five her talent was recognised when she won first prize in the Dandenong Show Art competition, for her painting of a landscape (Swagman and his horse).

After finishing school Elizabeth worked in the banking industry. However her passion for art and the Australian bush and wildlife continued. In 1979 marriage and family life allowed Elizabeth little time to pursue her passion. As her family became more independent Elizabeth was able to realise her dream when she enrolled as a part time student in the Chisholm Institute of Technical and further Education pursuing her art career in earnest and graduating in 1996 with a Diploma of Art/Design.

"the delight when you scoop up a wild joey -
the smell of the wind in their coats -
the deep earth smell from Wallabies -
their eyes so trusting, never thinking
humans would harm them"

(Stella Reid -Wildlife Carer)

News and Awards

Elizabeth's most recent awards are:

2011 The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize - Finalist - "Australian Lace Monitor"
2011 Herald sun Camberwell Rotary Art Show - Best Fauna Painting Any Medium Priced over $1000.00 "Leadbeaters Possums"
2010 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Wild Awards - 2010 Highly Commended "Australian Lace Monitor"
2008 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. 'wild Awards 2008' Silver Medal for "Precious Places"South Eastern Redtailed Black Cockatoos
2006 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. 'Wild Awards 2006' Gold Medal for "South Eastern Redtailed Black Cockatoos"
2005 Currabubula Red Cross Art Show - Champion Picture - "Erins Home"
2005 Cheltenham Girls High School Art Show - Principal's Award -First Prize - "Erins Home"
2005 Herald Sun Camberwell Rotary Art Show -Studio Craft Encouragement Award "Superb View - Superb Lyrebird"
2005 Rotary Club of Sorrento Annual Art Show - Best Other Medium - "Erins Home"
2005 Central Coast Festival Of Arts - Wyong - Highly Commended - Works on paper Section - Erins Home"
2002 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. - Ken Simpson & Zoe Wilson Award for Australian Fauna in it's Natural Habitat - Koalas - Reaching Out
2001 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. - Artists Choice Award for Most Popular Exhibit- Erin's
Home (Greater Glider) Artists Choice Award for Most Popular Artist
2001 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. - Ken Simpson & Zoe Wilson Award for Australian Fauna in it's Natural Habitat- Erin's Home
2000 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. - Ken Simpson & Zoe Wilson Award for Australian Fauna in it's Natural Habitat- Winnie and Smokey, Eastern Grey Kangaroos
1999 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. - Faber Castell Award for Mixed Media The Difficult Crossing
1996 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. - Bainbridge Nielson Award for Mixed Media - Room with a View

PUBLISHED WORKS

Australian Artist Magazine December 2002 . Magazine Illustrations . Children's Readers . RSPCA Calendar 2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007 and 2008 . Corporate Logo Designs . Greeting Cards . Reproductions.
Elizabeth also has works in collections in Australia and overseas.

EXHIBITIONS

1996 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
1997 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
1998 Joint Exhibition at Tuscany Galleries, Healesville, Victoria
1998 Solo Exhibition at Mulgrave Art Gallery - Mulgrave, Victoria
1999 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
1999 Nature's Amazing Tapestry at The Wise Possum Nature Gallery, Sassafras Victoria
1999 Mulgrave Art Gallery, Mulgrave, Victoria Australia - Anniversary Exhibition
2000 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
2000 A Window on Nature & Spirit at The Wise Possum Nature Gallery, Sassafras Vic.
2000 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Joint Exhibition at Parliament House. Victoria
2001 Passion to Protect at Eltham Wiregrass Gallery, Eltham, Victoria
2001 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Joint Exhibition at Parliament House. Victoria
2001 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
2001 Mulgrave Art Gallery, Mulgrave, Victoria Australia - Anniversary Exhibition
2002 Eltham Wiregrass Gallery - Annual Wildlife Exhibition
2002 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
2002 Old Post Office Gallery, Seymour. 10th Annual Festival of Fine Art
2003 David Sumner Gallery 9" x 5" Exhibition
2003 South Australian Museum Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize Finalist
2003 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
2004 Mulgrave Art Gallery, Mulgrave Victoria - Joint Exhibition
2004 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. Annual Exhibition, Melbourne, Victoria
2005 Rotary Club of Sorrento Annual Art Show
2005 Central Coast Festival of Arts - Wyong
2005 Cheltenham Girls High School 40th Annual Art & Craft Show NSW
2005 Herald Sun Camberwell Rotary Art Show
2005 Currabubula Red Cross Art Show NSW
2006 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. ' Wild Awards'
2008 Wildlife art Society of Australasia Inc. ' Wild Awards'
2010 Wildlife Art Society of Australasia Inc. ' wild Awards'
2011 Herald sun Camberwell Rotary Art Show
2011 The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize - South Australian Museum