VIVID BRUSH STROKES Elizabeth Wilson-Hill is working on a Mural in Brazil. “I just couldn’t imagine living my life without having art in it every day.” Said Wilson-Hill, “So I wanted to design a career where I could travel and do art every day.”

The click of a camera, the shutter of a lens, capturing a moment worth more than a thousand words. Photography is a sacred art that tells stories; a camera is an instrument to its photographer. Faculty member Elizabeth Wilson-Hill is an exquisite artist and photographer who has moved all over the world for her work.

Art starts out as a hobby for many people, whether it is doodling in class or taking photos of sunsets with a phone. Wilson-Hill was exposed to art at a very young age, being presented to it at her father’s art shop.

“Art I discovered really early because my dad shifted his career from journalism to opening his own business, a picture framing art supply shop,” said Wilson-Hill. “I grew up surrounded by lots of beautiful art.”

She was introduced to photography as a teenager in high school, choosing to then pursue higher education in a range of art areas. 

“I discovered photography in high school, and then I went to an art school (university). In school, we did a lot of photography, painting, graphic design, and filmmaking,” said Wilson-Hill. “I then went and did graduate studies in secondary education, focusing on art and theater. After that, I knew that I had the right tools to be able to start to travel and teach in my specialty areas.”

Wilson-Hill has moved to many different continents, spreading her knowledge as an artist, photographer, and teacher in every corner of the world.

“I went to China first, then I went to England for a couple of years, and then I went back to China—specifically, to Shanghai—for seven years. After that, I went to Brazil, and during all of that time, I was teaching in my specialty areas. When I was in Shanghai, I took some sabbaticals where I just focused on my art full-time,” said Wilson-Hill. “I painted, created, and worked with Shanghai’s Design Art and Fashion Fair. I also got professional art jobs through the New Zealand embassy. When I was in Dallas, Texas, for six years, I had a professional studio. I was teaching but also working as a full-time artist.”

Creating art is a difficult but therapeutic process for many. When moving from place to place, it is difficult to adjust to the new customs and cultures that are introduced.

“There are pros and cons to moving around so much. The pros are that you are never short of inspiration. There’s something unique that I bring to my artwork because of the places that I’ve lived,” Wilson-Hill said. “The flip side is that a lot about an art career is putting in many years of building up connections, it takes time. That’s the hardest part; every time I’ve moved, I’ve had to start fresh.”

Even while she teaches, Wilson-Hill continues to dedicate herself to her artistry. Like many artists, she draws inspiration from other famous professionals, finding creative influence in the work of a renowned realist photographer.

“The biggest photographic influence of mine would be iconic American photographer Ansel Adams, because of his shots in New Mexico. I spent a summer in Taos, New Mexico, and I love high-contrast black-and-white photography,” Wilson-Hill said. “His work is beautiful and moody, with gorgeous landscapes, and very atmospheric shots. When I was in Taos, I took lots of photos using him as inspiration.”

Wilson-Hill’s husband and design teacher, Tim Wilson, is also an artist and an advocate for his wife’s creations.

“One of the biggest things that I am always amazed with is her concepts and how she puts those concepts together. She’s gone from graphic styles to very realistic ones in her paintings,” said Wilson. “Her style kind of flows back and forth between her paintings and her artwork.”

A very proud moment for Wilson was when his wife’s artwork was accepted to be exhibited in one of the most prestigious art galleries in the world.

“I was absolutely floored when one of her paintings was accepted to be displayed in the glass pyramid of the Louvre,” Wilson said. “Her stuff just blows me away; it’s just that great. There’s absolutely no way I could ever be that good.”

In her classroom, Wilson implements her knowledge of photography and artistry to teach growing young minds. Saaya Doshi ‘26 took Wilson-Hill’s Art Photo and Advanced Art Photo class for 2 semesters.

“Ms. Wilson really cares about her students, and she takes the time to focus on their needs, and what they can do better to improve their photography skills,” Doshi said. “She gives you a deep understanding of photography as a whole. Instead of using whatever she was asked to teach, she turns that into her own thing and teaches it in her unique way, and I think it’s very impressive and inspiring.”