Elizabeth Govreau

Elizabeth Govreau grew up in a family of artists, writers, and musicians. She seemed to be born with a desire for aesthetic expression. As a child she would watch her mother and stepfather, both talented working artists, paint and joined them at galleries and art exhibitions throughout California.

Later on Elizabeth attended Ray Vogue College of Design in Chicago and at the age of 19 she was accepted into the Fashion Institute of Merchandising, Marketing, and Design in Los Angeles. She has exhibited her elegant jewelry and painting in “The Finger Hut Gallery Carmel,” “Biba Pacific Grove,” “Sixty East Pasadena,” “Chuckchansi Gold Casino Gallery,” “The Sanders Gallery Fresno,” and “Innanas Coarsegold.”

Elizabeth joined her family in Fresno where she studied at CSUF and worked at the Fresno Art Museum, which inspired her to open her own studio and later Galerie Govreau. Galerie Govreau is located at 609 E. Olive in Fresno’s Historic Tower District featuring Govreau’s original oil paintings, jewelry and over one hundred glass artists and photographers.

Recently Elizabeth turned the Galerie over to her mother Linda Sanders in order to dedicate herself to her art. She is very busy with many commissioned portraits of children. Elizabeth studies oil painting under Freda Marvin, the former president of The Society of Western Artist and The Timberline Gallery, which Elizabeth is a member in both associations.

Currently Elizabeth Govreau’s new studio resides in the mountains in Coarsegold, California, which has inspired her to experiment in landscape. Her recent series of oil painting are from the latest ventures to Yosemite. In her own words, “Gods creations are magnificent from the smile on a small child’s face to the majestic light at sunset illuminating Half Dome. What a blessing to be able to experience these Gifts and to try and capture a moment of that beauty.”

Govreau comments, “I enjoy inspiration from artists such as Claude Monet (1848-1926) and Mary Casset (1845-1926).” “Monet for his ability to capture the varying characteristics of seasonal light” “Mary Casset for her depiction of the sweetness of mother and child and for her determination to be a great artist of her time, when it was nearly impossible for a woman in her era.”

Elizabeth Govreau’s painting style is a combination of impressing combined with realism, balanced by a conscious aesthetic sense of design. For her portraiture she enjoys having clients come up to her studio in the mountains so she can capture her models with beautiful mountains or abundant wild flowers in the background.