painter, illustrator, commercial artist and cartoonist, was conscious of growing up within the family tradition of the Patersons. She studied at the National Gallery School in 1935-36 and during the late 1930s had humorous drawings published in Melbourne magazines. She also did other illustrative work.
“From my early days my weekly treat was “Whatman’s” drawing paper, mapping pens and a copy of Smith’s Weekly . The latter, of course, somewhat above my head but the drawings were great.
I loved the Gallery and found no fault with the teachers. My fellow pupils – well, I like to think that those unseen are still friends, while I have friends from the day that I started.
My commerical work included work for Mantons… then work for the fashion department of New Idea, which I liked very much but could do at home… My commercial work just fell into my lap but always the fine art was my true goal.” (Letter from Elizabeth Craigie to Juliet Peers)
Her landscape paintings in the 1959 Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors exhibition were considered 'above the average’ ( Age 21 October 1959). Having had some profile in art circles during the 1930s and 1940s (her first husband was the painter Sidney Nolan ), Elizabeth remarried and moved to a country property with her second husband, Glen Craigie. She was involved in rural life and family matters for 'thirty-five years, and she has since painted for pleasure’ (in 'Born to Paint/ There was never any question about Elizabeth Paterson’s future’, newspaper clipping from a Gippsland Regional newspaper c.1987).
