Elizabeth M. Van Wazer

Elizabeth M. Van Wazer, 97, of Chester passed away peacefully on April 23, 2024. Born in Liverpool, England on December 3,1926 she was the daughter of the late Percival J. Thomson and Harriet (Herbert) Thomson. As a young girl was employed by a very exclusive portrait photographers and was taught to retouch and finis negatives, also coloring. Very fashionable and well known dignitaries of Liverpool would also sit for their portrait, painted oils by known artists in the forties, e.g. Sir John Noble.

It was during this time, while under apprenticeship that her ambition to paint was born, but unfortunately her plans to study at the Liverpool Art School were dashed to the ground with the outbreak of World War II.

After serving five years in the Woman Royal Naval Service, she came to the U.S. in 1955. She became an interior decorator, all of which was associated with a feeling for color.

In the past few years she has at last found time to realize her girlhood dreams, to put on canvas all the marvelous color. The harmony of color is what attracts her the most, secondly of course is the subject. When looking at most of her paintings, one would describe them as color in movement.

Most of the subjects are alive, not necessarily people, but motion, animals, wheat growing in a field, footsteps, in the snow, the swirl of a dancer, two egrets in the grass, a flap of a sail and son on.

Her paintings have been sold and shown at the following establishments: Pinchpenny Art Gallery of Essex, Pomperaug Art Gallery of Southbury, Southbury Bazaar, Heritage Village, The Colonial Bank & Trust Clinton Art Society, Clinton Town Hall, Essex Art Association, Artistic Endeavors of East Lyme and the Lyme Art Association of Old Lyme. Elizabeth is survived by her adored granson Max Roberts of Branford.

A graveside service will take place May 1, 2024 at 1 P.M. at New North Cemetery in Woodbury Connecticut.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Connecticut Humane Society 701 Russell Road Newington, CT 06111.