About
Elizabeth Bessant is an award-winning artist based in London. She began her career as a silkscreen printmaker in the 1980s, quickly gaining recognition. She regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, galleries across the UK, and internationally in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris. In 1990 she was listed in Who’s Who in International Art.
Her journey has taken her through 28 years as a couture designer where fashion became her medium of expression dressing society women, couture brides and celebrities.
In 2020 Elizabeth returned to her artist roots and in 2022 appeared on Sky Arts “Landscape Artist of the Year”. Her latest bird paintings have received critical acclaim, being selected for the Federation of British Artists Annual Exhibition, and the Society of Graphic Fine Artists’ 105th Annual Exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries, London.
Inspired by time spent around her mothers bird sanctuary in South Wales, her recent work celebrates the vivid beauty of exotic birds. This early inspiration has now culminated in her latest collection of paintings. Drawing upon the historical use of birds in textile and homeware design, she has juxtaposed realistic avian imagery with the fantastical elements often found in home decor. Each piece is meticulously created through detailed research, refined sketches, and layered acrylic and pen work, often enhanced with 24k gold leaf and metallic highlights— an intricate process that can take hundreds of hours.
In 2018 Elizabeth was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society of Artists, recognising her contribution to the arts over many years.
Exhibitions 1982 - 1992
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 1982, 1983, 1987
Royal West of England Academy Annual Exhibition 1982, 1983
Municipal Galleries and Museum, Newport, S.Wales 1982
Tredegar House, Newport, S.Wales 1982
Welsh Arts Council 1982
Art Centre, Chepstow, solo exhibition 1982, 1984
Station Gallery, Chepstow, solo exhibition 1982
Old Bell Galleries, Chepstow, 1982, 1983, 1984
Medici Society, London, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Thumb Gallery, London, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
The Business Galleries, Royal Academy of Arts 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Railings Gallery, London 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
Arnolfini Galleries, Bristol 1983
The Royal Society of Graphic Artists Annual Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London 1983
Wimbledon School of Art Post-graduate exhibition (winner of Atlantis Paper company prize for best print) 1984
Tradition and Innovation, Rank Xerox and Yorkshire Contemporary Art touring exhibition 1986
Regatta Gallery and Publisher, Richmond on Thames, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
Regatta Gallery, Esher, Surrey, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
New York Art Expo, USA 1987, 1988, 1989
Los Angeles Art Expo, USA, 1987, 1988, 1989
NEC Birmingham, 1988
Couture Fashion Design 1992- 2020
Chelsea Collections Boutique, London, 1995 - 2013
“A Couture Story”, Zefi, London, solo couture fashion show, 2013
“Dressing for The Season”, Hurlingham Club, London, solo couture fashion show, 2016
The National Wedding Shows, Olympia London, Spring & Autumn,
2011 to 2018
Exhibitions 2220 - to date
Whitechapel Galleries bi-annual Open Exhibition, short-listed 2021
Sky Arts Landscape Artist of The Year TV program, 2022
Parallax Art Fair, London, 2023
Signet Contemporary Art, London, 2023
Ad Lib Gallery, London, solo exhibition, 2024
Women in Art Fair, Mall Galleries, London, 2024
“Birds” exhibition, Women in Arts Network, 2025
The Artist Lounge, Chelsea Waterside, London, 2025
Federation of British Artists, Mall Galleries, London, 2025
Parallax Art Fair, London, 2026
Society of Graphic Fine Arts, Mall Galleries, London, 2026
Wine Art Gallery, New Orleans, USA, 2026
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, short-listed
2026
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"elizabeth bessant"
“As an artist I have gone full circle. I started my career as a printmaker exhibiting at the Royal Academy and many prestigious galleries around the world.
My journey has taken me through 28 years as a couture designer where fashion became my medium of expression dressing society women, couture brides and celebrities.
In 2020, the moment felt right to return to my artist roots, marking the beginning of the final chapter in an extraordinary creative evolution”
