Elsie Mistie Sterling was born in 1907 in Chicago. From an early age she enjoyed art. She studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Vogue Commercial Art School, and became proficient in all types of art mediums. In 1928 she married Dr. Richard A. Sterling, who was much older than her, and the couple claimed just a year later that the recession had caused him to lose his fortune. The couple packed up and began wandering across the south. Elsie took any art project she could including a project for the National Recovery Act for which she designed stamps and brochures and a project for the State Conservation Committee of Virginia for which she produced 30 pen and ink drawings of historic buildings. By the late 1930s the Sterlings were doing better financially, but due to war rationing they became stuck in Rogers in 1942. Prior to their move to Rogers the Sterlings had been joined by Elsie's two sisters. Elsie continued to take any job she could, which included sketching historical scenes for the Benton County Pioneer and doing photo tinting and touch-ups for photographer Hubert Musteen, as well as completing works for local businessmen and private individuals. By the late 1950s she had slowed down due to her and her sisters' illnesses. Elsie succumbed to stomach cancer in 1960.
After her death much of her artwork and sketches remained with one of her sisters until the sister joined a commune and the artwork became property of the Kingdom of Yahweh. In 1979 the commune moved to Texas before a final move to Hawaii. Before leaving, the artwork was abandoned in the public library in Harlingen, Texas. It was then given to the Pan-American University. The University felt the work belonged in Arkansas and donated over 300 pieces to the Rogers Historical Museum in 1984. Since then, others have also donated her artwork to the museum.
Elsie’s largest contribution to the art and botanical world is her 500 life size watercolor sketches of wildflowers. She started sketching wildflowers while wandering with her husband and continuously added to the collection while in Arkansas. She had hoped to publish these works, but her unique style along with the addition of the scientific names of the wildflowers on the sketches, made the prints less desirable. These pieces were among the works left in Texas and were later donated to the Art and Science Center for Southeastern Arkansas in Pine Bluff.
After her death much of her artwork and sketches remained with one of her sisters until the sister joined a commune and the artwork became property of the Kingdom of Yahweh. In 1979 the commune moved to Texas before a final move to Hawaii. Before leaving, the artwork was abandoned in the public library in Harlingen, Texas. It was then given to the Pan-American University. The University felt the work belonged in Arkansas and donated over 300 pieces to the Rogers Historical Museum in 1984. Since then, others have also donated her artwork to the museum.
Elsie’s largest contribution to the art and botanical world is her 500 life size watercolor sketches of wildflowers. She started sketching wildflowers while wandering with her husband and continuously added to the collection while in Arkansas. She had hoped to publish these works, but her unique style along with the addition of the scientific names of the wildflowers on the sketches, made the prints less desirable. These pieces were among the works left in Texas and were later donated to the Art and Science Center for Southeastern Arkansas in Pine Bluff.
