Elizabeth Mayston has a diverse creative background including textile design, home furnishing creation, ceramic design, painting and photography.
Elizabeth learned pattern-making and furniture restoration in Paris which has influenced her ever since. The experience led to further studies in Textile Design and her success within the industry soon followed back in South Africa where she was inspired by a new vibrant energy in the country.
Elizabeth took her artistry further by starting to paint portraits in oils. Her love of the outdoors and especially walking and hiking, led to the creation of many landscapes. Inspiration was freely and easily found around Cape Town - in the picturesque vineyards, glorious mountain trails overlooking fertile valleys and along the beautiful coastlines. She explored the pathways, spellbound by the exquisite contrasts and harmonies of the colours of earth and sky.
Elizabeth's zest for nature also unleashed a passion for photography. The camera allowed her to capture a moment of beauty, while the painting gave her the freedom to express the mood and emotion, often lost in a photo. Her favourite subjects were the indigenous flora of the Cape, called Fynbos (internationally known as the Sugarbush). Initially using a camera to capture flora up close and in detail using a macro lense, this added a new dimension to the way she visualized subjects on canvas.
In 2018, Elizabeth immigrated to Portugal. She spent months exploring her new surroundings, especially Monchique and the Algarve, absorbing the vibrancy of the country and portraying this with her fresh colour palette. The move has allowed her to embrace and explore new opportunities. It was in this spirit that Elizabeth founded Galeria MonChic in 2019, where not only paintings but also beautiful decorative trinkets were created and remain in keeping with the artists own original chic. This is Elizabeth’s first exhibition in Lagos and we are delighted to be showing her work.
