Downtown Magazine Fall 2018 Issue

Scene|Profile|Philanthropy
Artist
DRAWN
DOWNTOWN
For over 25 years, ELIZABETH WILLIAMS has drawn
on her experiences Downtown with paper and pencil.
By Eva Maria Troester
With her trained eye catching every
detail, courtroom sketch artist
Elizabeth Williams spends her free
time watching — and documenting — the everchanging
Downtown.
“I love our Downtown area and community,
and think it is a wonderful subject to draw and
illustrate. Having seen so many things change
over the years living here, it is a constantly
moving and evolving area,” she says.
Elizabeth has lived Downtown for more than
25 years, since she and her husband bought an
apartment on Beaver Street. Back then the area
was vastly different, and she’s seen it grow into the
bustling neighborhood it is today.
Through her work as a courtroom sketch artist,
she’s also been able to document some of the
biggest cases that have played out in the city. From
the Mafia trials of 1980s New York City to Martha
Stewart’s insider trading, Elizabeth has been
ready in court with her pens and pad, quickly
sketching the people and surroundings.
One of her most memorable drawings is of
financier Bernard L. (Bernie) Madoff — convicted
of running the largest Ponzi scheme in history —
as he was cuffed and escorted into the lockup
from the courtroom.
“Outside one of the victims walked up to the
26 DOWNTOWNNYC AUTUMN 2017
artwork while it was being shot, kissed her fingers
and touched the drawing, saying ‘That’s just what I
wanted to see.’ I said, ‘I know, that’s why I drew it.’”
Courtroom art is very intuitive, and there’s
no doubt that Elizabeth has a great talent for
spontaneously whipping out a piece a paper and
putting pen to it.
“Took me a while to get a break, but finally I
got lucky,” she says. “Then it took me years to
establish myself.”
However, courtroom sketching is quickly
becoming a lost art. Today there are only a dozen
artists or so left in the U.S. To ensure the artwork
didn’t just slip through the cracks, Elizabeth and
author Sue Russell put together “The Illustrated
Courtroom: 50 Years of Court Art.”
“I thought it critical to codify this historic work
and the artists’ stories into one volume,” she
explains. “It was a significant part of American
legal history, and the artists’ legacy.”
There’s no doubt that there’s passion in
everything Elizabeth does with her art, but
Downtown is especially near and dear to
her heart.
“The courtroom work is my job, and [drawing
Downtown] is my avocation,” she declares.
“So I draw scenes and events whenever I find
the time.” DT
ON DISPLAY
Currently, some of
Elizabeth Williams’
art can be seen as
part of the exhibit
“Drawing Justice:
The Art of
Courtroom
Illustration” at the
Library of
Congress in DC.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN LIU