A tribute to Liz

Elizabeth Victoria Bouras, artist, photographer, world traveler, rock’n’roller, art collector, and cancer warrior, crossed the river in the early hours of May 12th, 2022.  She was 61 years old.

Liz was born in New York State on April 19th, 1961, the eldest daughter of George and Evelyn Bouras. The family moved to Narberth PA when she was young and Liz grew up there, collecting plastic model horses and learning to ride. A self-taught sculptor and painter, in the 1970s she took up customizing and painting her models, becoming one of the pioneers of the model horse remaking and showing hobby in America. Liz’s horses were successful and sought after, winning numerous local and national championships, and are still highly regarded today.  Her love of collecting horse figurines never waned and eventually encompassed ceramic, porcelain, and bronze horses in a collection that is highly esteemed in the model hobby.

 Liz attended Barnard College and Tyler School of Art at Temple University, where she graduated with a degree in photography. She became a fan of punk rock and 1980s New Wave and earned pocket money by DJ’ing in Philadelphia clubs under the name DJ Elizablitz, acquiring a love of cheesesteak subs which she maintained her entire life.  In 1987 she moved to Maryland to take a position with the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda and remained there for the rest of her working life; at the time of her death she worked as a Council Support Specialist in the Division of Extramural Research, NIAMS/NIH (and was eulogized as “literally the coolest person in NIAMS” by a co-worker).

Liz loved to travel and see the world, and visited England, Canada, Japan, Italy, and nearly every state in the USA over the course of her life. Devoted to her favorite bands, she thought nothing of flying cross-country to see a concert and typically saw multiple dates on any tour.  Photographing bands was a major passion and she braved many mosh pits for the perfect shot, achieving in June 2009 her lifelong dream of having her photographs used on a band’s album cover (“Negative Charge” by The Quakes) .  She was also a vinyl and music memorabilia collector and her collection is renowned among fellow fans.  A knowledgeable art collector and historian as well, she amassed a sizable collection of original art, limited edition prints, and books. Liz’s enthusiasm for the things she loved was infectious and genuine. Whether music, movies, art, horses, cats, travel, science fiction and Japanese anime, or favorite local restaurants, she could be counted on for knowledge and savvy reviews.  

Liz dreamed of owning a big Victorian house where she could display and showcase her art collections, but her dream was stolen by her diagnosis of cancer in 2017.  Her cancer, an aggressive and incurable leiomyosarcoma, gave her a prognosis of no longer than five years (achieved by only 17% of patients). Determined to fight, she lived every day of those five years with spirit, courage, and  humor, continuing to work at her job, travel, collect, and enjoy down to the final two weeks of her life.  

Elizabeth Bouras inspired and uplifted, and will continue to inspire, her fellow artists, fans, and everyone who had the joy of knowing her.

She is survived by close friends and a Maine Coon Cat named Cold Creek Kylo Ren.