Tree of Knowledge Aflame, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper
Fractured, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 42 x 42”
Roots of Existence, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 30 x 48”.
Changing Winds and a Nest, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 30 x 40”
Illusions of Eden, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper,, 48” x 36”
Free the Songbird, Acrylic, Italian Metal Leaf, Archival Imported Handmade Paper, 34 x 42”
All that Glitters, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 42 x 42
Intertwined, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 30 x 48”
Consequences of Silence, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 42 x 36”
Order and Chaos, Acrylic, Italian metal leaf, archival imported handmade paper, 30 x 48
STATEMENT
Elizabeth Myers Castonguay has spent a lifetime observing, researching, and making artwork about her passions: human diversity and the preservation of nature. Over the past fifteen years, the number of endangered species has risen from 40,000 to over one million. The artist’s paintings often depict humanity monochromatically with the endangered species in full color. Every species is critically important to the fine balance of nature though many cultures have an anthropocentric philosophy. Castonguay’s paintings are often divided into sections because all living beings are complex and sentient as scientists continue to discover. Colorful grids represent images of DNA common to all life forms.
In the artwork, an endangered Mother Nature and Mother Earth are frequently used as a metaphor for women who find themselves in dangerous situations. Also, millions of women globally are unable to pursue an education. The artist asks how many diseases could have been cured and great art created if women had been permitted to follow their talents throughout the generations in science, medicine and art. How many great philosophers or world leaders were not permitted to develop? Today we are witnessing millions of women around the world losing their autonomy and many books by women authors have been banned.
Castonguay has tried for a lifetime to break down barriers between groups of people while also shining a light on what is happening in the natural world. Her paintings are in dozens of collections of people both conservative and liberal from coast to coast.
Art can help people to see through another’s eyes. I hope the viewer will internalize, reflect, and see the world that we have created. Within the work there is a sense of urgency, but also an element of hope because we can all engage in the stewardship of Mother Nature while also respecting others of our own species. – Elizabeth Myers Castonguay
Elizabeth Myers Castonguay, MFA
https://emc-studio.squarespace.com/
Instagram: e.m.castonguay
Education:
| MFA American University, Washington, D.C. | |
| BFA University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (Professors Rackstraw Downes & Neil Welliver, NYC artists) | |
| BA Gettysburg College (Professor Ingolf Qually, MFA and BFA from le) | |
| Art Institute of Ridgewood (former Ridgewood Art Barn, Art Students League Instructors) |
Teaching:
| Art Institute of Pittsburgh (Life Drawing, Graphic Design, 2012-2015) | |
| Carnegie Mellon University / School of Drama (Adjunct Professor, Drawing, ‘09,’10) | |
| Carnegie Mellon University /Pre-College Program (Painting & Drawing, 2003-2013) | |
| Carnegie Museum of Art (Adult Figure Painting and Drawing, 1998-2013) | |
| International Workshops | |
| Penn / Yale Life Drawing Workshop (May 2023) |
Associations by jury:
| Salmagundi Art Club (NYC) | |
| Ceres Gallery (NYC) | |
| National Association of Women Artists (NYC & MA) | |
| Associated Artists of Pittsburgh AAP (Pittsburgh, PA) |
Committees
National Association of Women Artists (Strategic Planning 2024
Studios
The Highline, Pittsburgh, PA
Grandview Studio, Pittsburgh, PA
West End Avenue (Manhattan), NYC
Selected exhibitions:
| 2025 | Dr. Bernard Heller Museum, Juried Group Exhibit, Proverbs, Adages and Maxims, NYC, July 2025-Sept.2026 Abington Arts Center, Group Exhibit, Jenkintown, PA November Ceres Gallery, ‘Tapestry of Nature / Unraveling’, Chelsea, NYC October Gallery on Gazebo, curated by Marcene Glover, Johnstown, PA, September Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Collation Gallery, Brooklyn x Pittsburgh-Industry of Art, Juror: Eric Shriner, former Director of the Warhol Museum and current President of Powerhouse Arts, Brooklyn, NY Cultural Center for Cape Cod, Juried Group Exhibit, Cape Cod, MA, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Juried Annual Group Exhibit, Ligonier, PA., Nov.- Feb.2025 Juror: Becky Blosser, Chair of the Fine Art Dept. Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, Lancaster, PA. Associated Artists of Pittsburgh Gallery, Featured Artists Exhibit, Pittsburgh, PA Robert Morris University Gallery, Visions & Voices, Juried AAP Exhibit, Pittsburgh, PA Jan.28-Mar.7 2025 |
| 2024 | Art Complex Museum, Juried Exhibit, Duxbury, MA, April 28 – September 1 Ceres Gallery, Juried Exhibit, War on Women, Chelsea, NYC Fall National Association of Women Artists NYC, 135th Anniversary Group Exhibit, Solveig Stromsoe Palmer Memorial Award for Conservative Portraits, Jurors: Ksenia Nouril, Ph’d is the Gallery Director and Curator of Exhibitions & Programs at The Art Students League of New York. Christinea Mossaides Strassfield is The E.D. of Southampton Arts Center previously museum director and chief curator for the Guild Hall Museum. Grave Yeonsook Ji is the curator at One Art Space and member of the organizing committee for the Seoul Han River Biennale, NYC, 2024 Arc Gallery, Ceres Group Exhibition, Chicago, May 2-25, 2024 Scollay Square Gallery, The Galleries at Boston City Hall, Boston Muse: Womxn’s Art, Boston, MA, (NAWAMA), March 4- Apri l14, Ceres Gallery, 40th Anniversary Group Exhibit, Chelsea, NYC, January 2024 |
| 2023 | Jack Tomayko Foundation, Permanent Collection Opening, Pittsburgh, PA December 2023 Rockport Art Association & Museum, National Juried Exhibition, Juror: John C. Traynor, Rockport, Massachusetts, Sept 30-Nov 3, 2023 Crary Museum Art Gallery, Solo Invitational Exhibit, Curator: Thomas Paquette, Warren, PA, Oct.2 -Nov. 5, 2023 Salmagundi Art Club, Members Exhibit, NYC, August 2023 Cotuit Center for the Arts, Group Juried Exhibit (NAWAMA), Cotuit, MA, May-June 2023 Mark Rengers Gallery, Solo Invitational Exhibit, Sewickley, PA, Spring, 2023 Curator: Melanie Vera, MFA Museum Studies Johns Hopkins |
| 2022 | Spinning Plate Gallery, Group A, Curator: Nicole Capozzi of Boxheart Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA Dec.2022 One Art Space, National Assoc. of Women Artists, Tribeca, Bobbi Mastrangelo Environmental Art Award, NYC, Oct.2022 Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, Wide Open 12, Award, Juror: Sadaf Padder, NYC, June / July 2022 Salmagundi Art Club, Juried Biannual Members Auction Exhibit, NYC, March / April 2022 Ceres Gallery, Solo Exhibit, ‘Tapestry of Nature II (Endangered)’, Chelsea, NYC, Mar.31- April 23, 2022 Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, 26th Annual Juried Exhibition, Juror: Thomas Paquette, Ligonier, PA, Ned J. Nakles Memorial Award, Nov.2021 thru Jan. 2022 |
| 2021 | Spinning Plate Gallery,Group A, Juror: Prof. Patricia Bellan-Gillen,Carnegie Mellon Univ.,Pittsburgh,June 2021 Ceres, Artsy, Pachamama (Mother Earth) Artsy Exhibit, NYC, May 2021 Salmagundi Art Club,Juried Annual Members Exhibit, D.Wu&Elsie Ject-Key Memorial Award, NYC, May, ‘21 ArtHouse, Curator: Marcene Glover, Johnstown, PA, May 2021 Salmagundi Art Club, Juried, ‘Black & White’ Exhibit, NYC, March, 2021 Salmagundi Art Club, Juried ‘Figuratively Speaking’ Exhibit, NYC, Feb.2021 |
| 2018 | Salmagundi Art Club, Annual Members Exhibition, Henry Nordhausen Memorial Award, NYC Ceres National Open Competition, Juror: Sara Softness,Asst.Curator, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Award, Chelsea, NYC Salmagundi Art Club, Juried 100th Anniversary Exhibit & the Annual Juried Group Exhibits, NYC |
| 2017 | Thompson Gallery, Curator:Todd Bartel,Gallery Director,Cambridge School of Weston,MA, ‘Seeing Complementaries’ will also be used advertising Denise Bibro Gallery, Boros V Exhibit, Curator: Denise Bibro, Chelsea, NYC Sylvia Wald / Po Kim Gallery, ‘The Vision’, Medal of Honor for Painting & Elizabeth Stanton Blake Memorial Award National Association of Women Artist Annual Exhibit, NYC Salmagundi, Juried Group Nautical Exhibit, NYC Ceres Gallery, Group Exhibition, Chelsea, NYC |
| 2016 | the Mansion at Strathmore, Juried Group Exhibit ‘Rise Up’, Honorable Mention, Bethesda, MD Salmagundi Art Club, Juried Group Exhibit, ‘Urban’, NYC Carnegie Museum of History, (Discoverers Group), Artist’s Talk and Presentation of ‘Endangered’ work, Curator: Dr. Richard Moriarty, Pittsburgh, PA. |
| 2015 | Salmagundi Art Club, Winter / Spring Exhibitions, NYC Borelli Edwards Gallery, Gallery Solo Exhibition, ‘Endangered / Between the Lines’, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2014 | Morris Museum of Art, Juried Group Exhibit (NAWA), Morristown, NJ Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA Juror: Barbara Jones-Westmoreland Museum of American Art Sylvia Wald/Po Kim Gallery, NYC Point Park University, Juried Group Exhibit (NAWA), Pittsburgh, PA Juror: Sarah Hall, Director of Curatorial Affairs, Frick Museum of Art Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Instructors Exhibition, PA Salmagundi Art Club, Juried Group Exhibit, Noble Nocturnes, NYC |
| 2013 | Viridian Gallery, Juried International Competition, First Place International Award, NYC Juror: Dr. Elisabeth Sussman, Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art, First Place International Award Borelli Edwards Gallery, Solo Exhibit, ‘ENDANGERED’, Lawrenceville, PA Williamsburg Art and History Center, Curator: Yuko Nii, Annual Exhibition, Brooklyn, NYC Viridian Gallery, International Photography Director’s Choice Exhibit, Chelsea, NYC |
| 2012 | Westmoreland Museum of Art, Juried Group Biennial and Artist’s Talk, Greensburg, PA |
| 2011 | Amarillo Museum of Art, National Juried Figure Drawing Competition, First Place National Award, TX Juror: Martha Mayer Erlbacher, MFA Department Head / New York Academy of Art & Professor of Anatomy St. Vincent’s University Museum Gallery, Invitational “20 x 2 Notable Regional Artists”, PA Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Gallery, NAWA, Audrey Hope Shirk Award (2011), SOHO, NYC Village Studio, Delray Beach, Honorable Mention, Florida Carnegie Museum of Art, 2-Minute Film Competition, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2010 | Carnegie Museum of Art, Annual Juried Group Exhibit (AAP), Pittsburgh, PA Jurors: Al Miner (Curatorial Asst. Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C., and Donald Miller, Art Critic |
| 2010 | Salmagundi Art Club, Artist’s Talk with Digial Presentation of Work, NYC |
| 2010 | Point Park University, “Four Artists”, Curated, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2010 | University Exhibits, Traveling, (AAP), Juror’s Award, PA |
| 2010 | World of Artists, ‘International Women’s Exhibit’, Beacon, NY |
| 2010 | Cultural Trust, AAP Presidents Choice Exhibition, Invitational, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2010 | Art Institute of Pittsburgh, 100th Anniversary AAP Group Exhibit, PA |
| 2010 | National Arts Club Gallery, NAWA Annual, Jeffrey Childs Willis Memorial Award, NYC |
| 2009 | State Museum of Pennsylvania, ‘Art of the State Juried Exhibit’, Harrisburg, PA |
| 2008 | Fein Gallery, Generation to Generation, AAP Juried Group, Pittsburgh, PA |
| 2007 | Frank Melega Art Museum, Solo Exhibit, Brownsville, PA |
| 2007 | American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center, Juried Group Exhibit, Washington, D.C. |
| 2007 | Mendelson Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA., Solo Exhibit, ‘US’ Regina A Quick Center for the Arts Museum, St. Bonaventure University, Solo Exhibit, St. Bonaventure, NY |
| 2006 | State Museum of Pennsylvania, Juried Group Exhibit, Harrisburg, PA Juror: Susan Fisher Sterling, Chief Curator, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington,D.C. |
| 2006 | Dimensions 2006, National Juried Exhibit, First Place National Award, Winston-Salem, NC Juror: Brooke Davis Anderson, Director and Curator of the American Folk Art Museum, NYC |
| 2006 | Westmoreland Museum of Art, Biennial AAP Exhibition, Greensburg, PA Juror: Virginia Mecklenburg, Curator, Smithsonian American Art Museum |
| 2006 | Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Juried Group Exhibition, First Place Award, Ligonier, PA |
| 2005 | Carnegie Museum of Art, AAP Group Juried Exhibit, Pittsburgh, PAC Juror: Douglas Fogle, Curator, Carnegie Museum of Art |
| 2005 | Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, Juried Group Exhibit, New Castle, PA |
| 2004 | Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Solo Exhibit, Pittsburgh, PA Juror: Liz Thomas, Assistant Curator, Carnegie Museum of Art |
| 2004 | Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, Group Juried Exhibit, New Castle, PA Juror: Kurt Shaw, Art Critic, Pittsburgh Tribune Review |
| 2003 | Ceres Gallery, Invitational from 2002 National Exhibition Artists, NYC |
| 2002 | Ceres Gallery, National Juried Art Exhibition, NYC Juror: Charlotta Kotik, Curator of Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Chairperson/Dept. Painting & Sculpture |
Selected awards:
| 2022 | • One Art Space, National Assoc. of Women Artists, Tribeca, Bobbi Mastrangelo Environmental Art Award, NYC, October, 2022. • Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, Wide Open 12, Award, Juror: Sadaf Padder, NYC, June /July 2022 • Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (Ligonier),Juror:Thomas Paquette, Award,Nov.2021- 2022 |
| 2021-2 | Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (Ligonier),Juror:Thomas Paquette, Award,Nov.2021-22 |
| 2021 | Salmagundi Art Club, Annual Juried Exhibition, D.Wu&Elsie Ject-Key Memorial Award, NYC, May, 2021 |
| 2018 | Salmagundi Art Club, Annual Exhibition, Henry Nordhausen Memorial Award, NYC |
| 2018 | Ceres National Art Competition, Award for “Finished?(Endangered body of work)”, Juror: Sara Softness, Assistant Curator, Brooklyn Museum of Art |
| 2017 | Sylvia Ward / Po Kim Gallery, Medal of Honor for Painting & Elizabeth Stanton Blake Memorial National Association of Women Artists,128th Annual Members Exhibit Jurors: Susana Torruella Leval, former VP and President Elect of the Association of Art Museum Directors and former board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Monica D.Church, Associate Director of the James W. Palmer ’90 Gallery, Vassar College. Linda Weinstraub former Director of Bard College Museum and author of several books on contemporary art. |
| 2016 | Strathmore Mansion, Honorable Mention, Bethesda, Md. |
| 2014 | Salmagundi Art Club, Auction Exhibit, Patrons Award |
| 2013 | Viridian Gallery, Juried International Competition, NYC Juror: Dr. Elisabeth Sussman, Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art, First Place International Award |
| 2011 | Amarillo Museum of Art, National Juried Figure Competition, First Place National Award, Texas Juror: Martha Mayer Erlbacher, MFA Department Head / New York Academy of Art, Professor Anatomy |
| 2011 | Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Gallery, NAWA Annual Exhibition, Audrey Hope Shirk Award, NYC |
| 2010 | National Arts Club Gallery, NAWA Annual Group Juried Exhibition, Jeffrey Child’s Willis Award, NYC |
| 2010 | Pennsylvania Traveling University Exhibit, AAP, Juror’s Award |
| 2010 | Village Studio, Group Juried Exhibit, Honorable Mention, Delray Beach, Florida |
| 2006 | Dimensions 2006, National Juried Exhibit, First Place National Award, Winston-Salem, NC Juror: Brooke Davis Anderson, Director and Curator of the American Folk Art Museum, NYC |
| 2005 | Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, Juried Group Exhibition, First Place Award, PA |
| 2005 | Artistic Merit and Community Activism: Congress of the United States of America Pennsylvania House of Representatives Pennsylvania State Senate |
Selected reviews:
| 2024 | National Association of Women Artists NYC 135th Anniversary Group Exhibit, Solveig Stromsoe Palmer Memorial Award for Conservative Portraits, Jurors: Ksenia Nouril Ph’D is the Gallery Director and Curator of Exhibitions & Programs at The Art Students League of New York. Christinea Mossaides Strassfield is The E.D. of Southampton Arts Center previously museum director and chief curator for the Guild Hall Museum. Grave Yeonsook Ji is the curator at One Art Space and member of the organizing committee for the Seoul Han River Biennale, NYC, 2024 |
| 2023 | The Bradford Era, October 2023 https://www.bradfordera.com/news/endangered-species-bright-characters-at-crary/article_584efbfc-500c-11ee-9a90-bb2fbfdccb97.html The Jamestown Gazette October 2023 https://jamestowngazette.com/endangered-species-and-zany-characters-can-be-found-at-the-crary-art-gallery-on-october-7th/?amp=1 Erie News, October 2023 https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/49636631/new-crary-art-gallery-exhibition-features-endangered-species-and-zany-characters Times Observer, October 2023 https://www.timesobserver.com/news/local-news/2023/10/crary-art-gallery-to-open-new-exhibit-in-october/ Your Daily Local https://yourdailylocal.com/new-exhibition-set-to-open-at-crary-art-gallery-on-oct-7/ Pittsburgh Quarterly, Online, May 1, 2023 |
| 2020 | Arts Magazine, Lavelanet, France, Fall 2020 |
| With Eyes Open, by Todd Bartell, Paperback catalogue,122 pages, ‘Seeing Complemetaries’, a painting about human diversity was chosen for the Front Cover, July 2018 |