Elizabeth St Hillaire Nelson

After working for several years in advertising and marketing firms in Central Florida as a graphic designer, Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson decided that punching a clock was cramping her style. To resolve this, she co-founded Nelson Creative, Inc., a communication design firm in Longwood, Florida, in 1997 with her husband Doug. Elizabeth, born and raised in New England, has lived in Central Florida for the past 15 years. She holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in advertising design from Syracuse University, in Syracuse, New York.

Elizabeth is a member of the Florida Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for Art, and the National Collage Society. Clare Zipperly of Fifth Avenue Art Gallery in Melbourne, FL judged her work “Best of Show” in 2007 and stated, “Elizabeth uses paper much like a mosaic artist might use tiles in assembling a piece, or she may use layer upon layer of transparent papers to get the rich effect and colors she wants. Her work is simply a must see (up close).” Recent accomplishments include advancing to be one of the final six artists nationwide of the U.S. Olympic Committee “Sport Art Competition” in conjunction with the 2008 Bejing Olympics. Locally she was awarded “Best of Show” at the Women’s Caucus for Arts Matriarchs and Madonnas exhibit at the University Club in Winter Park, Florida, in 2007.

When asked why she chose to become an artist, Elizabeth states, “I have always been an artist. We have a painting hanging in our home that I created in Kindergarten. I can still remember my excitement standing at the little easel with big fat brushes and my trash-bag smock – free to create anything I wanted.” She adds, “Painting takes me back to that freedom of being that child again.”

Awards on Honors