Elinore Korow Bieber was born Eleanor Maria Vigh in Akron, OH in 1934. By the age of four, she was drawing constantly. She was self-taught until attending Siena Heights Women’s College in Adrian, MI and then the Cleveland Institute of Art where she majored in portrait painting under the renowned artist Rolf Stoll. In 1957 she married John (Jack) Korow, and within 5 years their three sons were born (Chris, David and Dan). She resumed her painting in 1964 after nearly a 7 year hiatus.

Her driving desire to live a consequential life made her pick up her brush again, only to discover she could no longer draw. Intensive dedication, mostly at night, while the children were sleeping, opened the floodgates and her ability not only came back, but was far better than it had ever been.

Elinore’s goal as early as 1966 was to be Cleveland’s best portrait artist. Recognition came immediately. Within three years she was nationally known, having work accepted and exhibited in the country’s toughest juried shows. Unfortunately at that point family finances demanded full time employment. Her first stop was American Greetings where she was hired as a conventional greeting card designer. Three years later in 1973, she established her own business in Shaker Heights - Elinore Korow: Portraits.

In June of 1974 Elinore exhibited her work at the internationally known Lynn Kottler Galleries at 3 East 65th Street, NY, NY. Regarding her work, art commentator Richard Roffmen wrote, “Undoubtedly Elinore Korow is one of the finest talents I have seen this season, and I predict she will become a shining star in the artistic firmament”. She was in numerous major juried and invitational exhibits including: the National Academy of Design and World Trade Center, NY, NY; The Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Show, Golden, CO; The Art Club, Washington D.C.; The American Watercolor Society’s National Traveling Exhibition and a Charter member of the Ohio Watercolor Society.

Along with commissions, painting for shows, travelling in connection with her career and raising a family, she began to teach small groups of students. In January of 1979, she was teaching painting and portraiture at Cuyahoga Community College in Shaker Height, Maple Heights and Brooklyn. She was also on the faculty of the University of Akron and the Cleveland Institute of Art.

In 1982 Elinore married Dr. Harry Bieber DDS and resided in Shaker Heights until widowed in 1994.

Above verbiage is paraphrased from an article written about Elinore in 2001 in Northern Ohio Live Magazine.

Prominent people she was commissioned to paint include Charles and Kathy Walgreen of Walgreen Drugstores; Richard Oberlin actor and past director of the Cleveland Playhouse; Edward Lechner, Dennis McClung and Don Riordan all former chairmen of the board of Blue Cross/Blue Shield; Harvey Kresge of S.S. Kresge & Co.; Harry and Rainy Stitzlein, University of Akron benefactors of the University, Stitzlein Alumni Center; Dr. Merlin Bumpus, pioneer in blood pressure research from Cleveland Clinic and many others.

Elinore was listed in the Marquis Who’s Who of American Women, Who’s Who in American Art, American Artists of Renown and many others. She was a member of the American Pastel Society (NYC), Women’s Art Club of Cleveland (past president), Society of Artists, the American Society of Portrait Artists (Montgomery, AL) and past president of the Women’s Art League of Akron.

She moved back to her family home in Akron in 1994 where she lived until 2024. She continued painting and teaching as well as becoming a world traveler. Her final residence was an Assisted Living facility in Brooklyn, OH. She passed on December 27, 2025 at the age of 91.

Elinore K. Bieber, age 91, of Akron, passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2025. Daughter of the late Alexander and Elizabeth Vigh; beloved wife of the late Harry Bieber and Jack Korow; loving mother of Christopher, David (Bharathi) and Daniel DVM (Andrea); dearest grandmother of Joshua (Phoebe); sister of Alexander Vigh Jr. DDS (deceased). Elinore was a nationally known Portrait Artist and teacher for almost 50 years. She graduated from Cleveland Institute of Art in 1957. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF), or the Macular Degeneration Association (MDA).

Graveside service at Knollwood Cemetery, 1678 Som Center Road., Mayfield Heights, Friday January 9, 2026 at 11:30 a.m. Family and friends received to celebrate the life of Elinore at the Ripepi Community Center, 5784 Pearl Rd. (at Snow Rd.), Thursday, January 8, 2026 from 4-7p.m.