ELIZABETH SMILY, SFCA

Born and raised in England, ELIZABETH SMILY, SFCA, FRSA attended Heatherley’s Art School and the Royal Academy - where she won the Lord Leverhulme award for best student in painting, sculpture or architecture. Marrying a Canadian, Smily moved to Montreal where she worked with Arthur Lismer for a brief period and exhibited her work at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. She is a superb draughtsman, whose work art critics have described as "unusually strong and masterful". Her portraiture has included Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Odette Churchill and the King of Nigeria. She has had numerous international shows (her most recent a retrospective at the FCA Gallery) and also conducts classes in portraiture and life drawing. A past president of the FCA, Smily has resided in West Vancouver for some years. As well as a senior signature member of the FCA, she is also a "fellow" of the Royal Society of Arts.