Elizabeth Whitney lived in Montreal. She was active in the Montreal branch of the WAAC, and taught china painting at the Montreal School of Applied Art and Design.

Her work was exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876, and at the Royal Canadian Academy in 1893. It was also shown at WAAC exhibitions, as well as through the Art Association of Montreal (later the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts) in 1893 and 1895-1898.

Elizabeth Whitney painted 12 game plates and 12 cheese plates for the dinner service.