Elizabeth Osborne b. 1936
Elizabeth Osborne, a prominent figure in Philadelphia's art scene, has distinguished herself with her diverse explorations in painting. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Osborne studied at Friends Central School, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), and the University of Pennsylvania. Her figures often evoke themes of loss and longing, reflecting a deep connection to her personal experiences.
Osborne's multi-decade career attests to a sustained interest in the possibilities of painting and a refusal to adhere to a particular style or theme. From the 1960s through the 1980s, Osborne worked in the tradition of her academic training, painting figurative nudes and still lifes that evoke the art of Giorgio Morandi. During the 1970s, Osborne created realist watercolors and boldly hued landscapes, and her experiments with color led to mostly abstract works in the 1990s and 2000s. Throughout her career, Osborne has balanced representation with abstraction, capturing both the tangible and the ephemeral. Her most recent works incorporate both figure and abstract elements, blending her past techniques with fresh explorations.