Elizabeth E. Holzman

February 9, 1953 - August 11, 2014 Artist Liz Holzman was born in the San Francisco bay area in 1953. She began her artistic career in 1955: her earliest recorded drawing was a fire engine, done at age 2. Liz graduated from Mills College in 1975 with a BA in Art. In 1976 she took a night class in animation at Rice University and won the Regional Student Academy Award that year. She then earned her MFA in Film Graphics from Cal Arts in 1979. For the next 25 years Liz worked in the animation industry in Los Angeles, as an animator, character designer, storyboard artist, writer, director and producer. She worked at several major studios in the course of her career, including Richard Williams Animation, Disney, Warner Brothers, Marvel Productions and Universal Studios. She won three Emmys as Director and Producer of Pinky and the Brain and Animaniacs, as well as several nominations, including an Emmy nomination for writing and an Annie nomination for directing. In 2003 Liz moved to Portland and spent the last decade doing what she loved: teaching, painting, writing, playing music, and doing freelance film and design work. Liz was a generous and inspiring teacher, leader and mother. She passed away on August 11, 2014 at the age of 61. She is survived by her son Nathaniel and her brother Thomas. In lieu of flowers, Liz's family and friends request donations be made in her name to Doctors Without Borders. Her work can be viewed at lizholzman.com.