About
Artist statement
My paintings explore inner life through the language of symbol, myth, and transformation. Working from observation as well as imagination, I am drawn to the space where the personal and archetypal meet, and to the ways emotion, memory, and desire can find expression through paint.
The figure is central to this exploration, particularly the female figure, which becomes a vessel for states of becoming. Yet the language of my paintings extends beyond the figure. Flowers, objects, gestures, and color can carry symbolic meaning, pointing toward emotional and spiritual realities beneath the surface. Whether observed or imagined, each image holds a sense of mystery and invites us to look more deeply.
Influenced by mythology, depth psychology, and contemplative traditions, I am drawn to moments of transition: vulnerability and strength, innocence and knowledge, longing and fulfillment. Through color, light, and composition, I create paintings that are intimate yet mysterious, inviting viewers to encounter their own memories, questions, and possibilities within the image. Ultimately, my work is a meditation on transformation and the mysterious process of becoming.
A figurative painter in France
Liz Adams, an American figurative painter based in Paris, captures the poetry of life through her art. Born in Marietta, Georgia, she has had a lifelong passion for painting. She studied at the Art Students League of New York and the National Academy and explored Renaissance art in Florence (Italy). In 2015, she was awarded the prestigious Elizabeth Greenshields Grant in recognition of her commitment to figurative art.
For 15 years, Liz lived in New York City, immersed in its vibrant art scene. Her work has been further enriched by artist residencies in Vietnam, New York, and Barcelona, blending classical influences with a modern vision. In 2020, she fulfilled her dream of moving to Paris, where the city’s joie de vivre has infused her work with a brighter palette. Splitting her time between Paris and the Mediterranean warmth of Nice, she draws inspiration from the Riviera’s luminous light.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including her first museum group show in 2024 at the Metropolitan Museum in Tokyo. Specializing in portraits and landscapes, she can also engage audiences through live art events. With online classes, private mentorships and workshops, she inspires others to explore their artistic voices. Her expressive paintings are held in multiple collections mostly in the U.S. and France.
I love the feeling of starting a new painting: that first pass of color where anything possible is pure magic!
Liz Adams
CV
EDUCATION
2005-10 Art Students League of New York, NYC
2007-10 National Academy School of Fine Art, NYC
2009 Fall Semester of Gross Anatomy with Michael Grimaldi, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
2008 Studio Art Center International, Summer Program in Art History and Painting, Florence, Italy
2003 B.F.A. Drawing and Painting, magna cum laude, Georgia State University
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2025 Rêves Sucres, Alliance Française, Nice, France
2024 Salon UNIVERS 2024, l’Abbatiale Notre Dame, Bernay, France
2024 Exposition à l’étranger, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2024, 45e Salon international artistique de Haute-Loire, Centre Pierre Cardinal Le Puy en Velay, France
2024 Art Capital, Grand Palais Ephemere, Paris France
2023 Act 1, EAP Residency Exhibition, Yellow Cube Gallery, Paris France
2023 Estivales de Sceaux, juried exhibition, Mairie de Sceaux, France
2022 “Elephant in the Room,” Institut d’études supérieures des arts, Paris, France
2022 “Figuration,” Galerie HCE, Saint Denis, France
2021 The White Distance”, Heritage Space, Hanoi, Vietnam
2021 “100 Faces Show,” Atlanta, GA
2020 “Thirty Seven”, Edward Hopper House Museum, Nyack, NY
2020 “TERRA INCOGNITA,” The QNS Collective, Virtual Gallery
2020 “Salon 2020,” Artistes Indépendants Normands, Halle aux Toiles, Rouen, France
2017 “Palette Show”, Abend Gallery, Denver, CO
2016 “Point of Origin”, Lodge Gallery, New York, NY
2016 “LIMITED n INFINITIVE”, Heritage Space Gallery, Hanoi, Vietnam
2015 SUBLIME:Harlem, Gallery 345, New York, NY
2014 Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 118th Annual Exhibition, National Arts Club, NYC
2014 “She Depicting Her”, Alex Adam Gallery, New York, NY
2014 “Behind the Curtain”, Mark Miller Gallery, New York, NY
2014 “Loved and Observed”, Hersh Fine Art, Glen Cove, NY
2014 Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists’ Faces of Winter, University of Connecticut, Stamford CT
2013 THE (UN)FAIR, Manhattan, NY
SELECTED AWARDS
2023 European Artist Residency, Yellow Cube Gallery Paris and RARO Barcelona
2016 Month of Arts Practice, Artist Residency, Heritage Space, Hanoi, Vietnam
2015 Ruth Katzman Scholarship Artist-in-Residence at The League Residency at Vytlacil, Sparkill, NY
2015 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, Montreal, Canada
2014 Lillian Ciaravino Memorial Award, Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club 118th Annual Exhibition, NYC
2014 Third Place, Connecticut Society of Portrait Artists’ Faces of Winter, University of Connecticut, Stamford, CT
2014 The Artist’s Magazine 31st Annual Competition, Finalist in the Portraits/Figures
2011 Macowin Tuttle Award, Salmagundi Members Exhibition, NYC
2009-10 Merit Scholarship, Art Students League of New York, NYC
2008 Newington Cropsey Foundation Scholarship: Summer Program at SACI, Florence, Italy
2007 Bacchieles Scholarship, National Academy School of Fine Art, NYC
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2026 Entering the Creative Unknown, S.2, Ep.6 Liz Adams
2026 Wandering Dreamers, by Stanzie Ep 3 Liz Adams
2022 La Vie Creative, Ep. 204: Liz Adams, an American figurative painter based in Paris, interviewed by Krystal Kenny
2019 StudioSeeds Inspire Artist Interview
2018 Blue Mountain Review, Issue 11, “Pursuing Self”
2017 “INPA 6”, Manifest International Painting Annual 2017`
2016 October, Buzzfeed, “These Artists Have Turned Their Palettes Into Stunning Paintings” by Matthew Tucker
2016 August, Linea, “My Harlem Haven”
2015 February, Fine Art Connoisseur, “Celebrating America’s Great Collectors”
2014 November, Brooklyn Rail “She Depicting Her: A Woman’s Perspective” by Christopher Green
2014 March Edition of American Art Collector, Art Show Previews
2013 Strokes of Genius 5, North Light Art Books
2012 Spring Edition of American Artist’s Drawing Magazine
EXPERIENCE
2022- Present Open Art, Online Art Classes
2020-present Online Mentorship Program, Individual Sessions
2022- 2024, Content Supervisor for Academy Everywhere, New York Academy of Art, Manhattan, NY
2022-2023, Paris Paint Nights, Art Classes, Paris, France
2021 Journée des Associations Montreuil, Portrait Demonstration, Montreuil France
2013-2019 Instructor at The Art Center NY, Manhattan, NY
2018 “Art Halifax Gala Event: Portrait Demonstration,” Art Zone Gallery, Halifax, Canada
2014-2018 Workshop Instructor, Art Students League of New York, NY
2017 “Live Demonstration with Three Contemporary Masters,” Art Students League of New York
2014-2017 Studio Assistant at Yigal Ozeri Studios, Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ
2016 “A Dialogue with Self”, Self Portrait Workshop, Heritage Space, Hanoi, Vietnam
2016 Self Portrait, Art Therapy Workshop, Hagar International, Hanoi, Vietnam