About

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Often called a poet with a paintbrush, fine artist and humanitarian Laurie Elizabeth McKinley has dedicated her life to observing, documenting, and participating in the human experience.   She has traveled the globe her entire life, compelled to observe and photograph the stories of vanishing cultures with compassion and humanity. She translates these increasingly rare images onto canvas- capturing the unforgettable experience and subtle beauty, so that she might share them with the world and hopefully inspire change to protect diversity and the environment.

Laurie Elizabeth paints in all genres, especially enjoying en plein air in villages throughout the world and capturing that very special “first feeling” -- the mystery of the moment, the chi, the magic.

Her inspirations are notable Russian masters, like Ilya Repin, Valentin Sorov and Nicholai Fechin. She has studied at the Repin Institute, Florence Academy and Fechin Museum. For the past five years, she has studied, painted, and traveled with the masterful Chinese artist, Jove Wang.

Laurie Elizabeth’s work has been exhibited and collected internationally, hanging in private and corporate collections in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, India, Canada, and Mexico. She has been exhibited twice at the UN in Geneva. Recently, she had award-winning exhibits, winning best in show in Santa Barbara; Xian, China; Lyon, France, and Santa Fe, New Mexico.  In 2018, Laurie has won an Honorable Mention in the 3rd Annual Waterscapes Competition from Fusion Art Palm Springs and has been invited to the juried New Orleans Art Association 2018 National Show. She is exhibiting in multiple shows at Santa Barbara Fine Art. 

Laurie Elizabeth lives with her husband, Mark, in Santa Barbara, California. She is active with Human Rights Watch, Landmine Survivors Network, and Acres of Love. She holds degrees from the Art Center College of Design and the University of Southern California.