About

Elizabeth Schmitt McClain, painter and lithographer, was an active artist for over eighty years. As gifted painter of children, families and those in the business world, her commissioned portraits have been a major focus of her studio since the 1950’s. Among the hundreds of portraits painted by Elizabeth (Betty to her friends), were the family of William Clinger, Congressman from Pennsylvania, and Dr. Clarence Walton, President of Catholic University in Washington, DC. Especially appealing are her portraits of children and young people; while those in middle or old age are beautiful in their character and lived experience. Her portraits showcase her rare ability in this exacting field.

Betty began her formal art training in Ridgewood, NJ, at the tender age of 9 under Helen Gapen Oehler, a charter member of Audubon Artists in New York City. At 14, Betty switched teachers to begin portraiture and anatomy study with Ralph Entwhistle, a professional portrait painter. She exhibited regularly with the Ridgewood Art Association. After she graduated from Pennsylvania State University, she became an assistant art director of Pacific Mills Corp., in New York City.

In 1949, she married Richard R. McClain and moved to Pittsburgh were she continued her artistic studies with Samuel Rosenburg, internationally recognized painter and professor of art at Carnegie Tech, now CMU. Betty was among the first members of the Pittsburgh Plan for Art. A constant exhibitor in regional and invitational shows, she also lectured and taught private art lessons.

Three years after moving to Pittsburgh, Betty had her first of six children. She continued to sketch and paint through each period of her life using her skills to create beautiful and sensitive portraits of her own children as well as commissioned portraits of families in her region. She maintained a studio for the next 60 plus years, first in Pittsburgh, PA, then Warren, PA and finally in Morgantown, WV. With her six children and husband, she had plenty of portrait sitters both inside and outside the household. (See "Portraits" and "Sketches")

Betty and her family moved to Warren, PA, after six years in Pittsburgh. There she became a member of the Warren Art League and was instrumental in securing and helping to establish the Warren Art Center. She served as president of the College Club, and president pro-tem of the Warren Council on the Arts. Her work was shown in juried shows in the tri-state area during this time, as well as at Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh galleries and schools. She was a member of: Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Plan for Art, National League of American Penwomen, International Platform Association, and the Warren Art League.

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In the 1973, she moved with her family to Morgantown, WV. Betty jumped on the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree from West Virginia University. Instead of focusing on portraiture at this time, she was interested in developing a new direction for her art as a way to express her personal ideas, insights, and intuitions. The physical representation of this artistic pursuit can be seen in the lithography prints on this website. Her abstract paintings and pastels that followed this time period are also featured on the site under the “Abstracts” category. This style of work has remained her focus for over 30 years, in between portraits, landscapes and other projects that have come her way.

Betty’s work has received numerous honors and awards in both region and national juried shows. Her paintings, drawings, and lithographs are represented in the permanent collections of several regional museums. She has had seven one-person invitation exhibitions over her career. 

On April 9, 2017, Elizabeth Schmitt McClain passed away peacefully in the company of her daughter and friend in Indianapolis, IN. 

If you have any questions or comments regarding the artist or have a question about this site, please contact John at: nemcclains@comcast.net

Thank you for visiting Betty's website!