I paint to understand our existence--this life and our relationship to one another. I spend time alone in the studio in an inward solitude seeking to give an image to the unnamable and the unspeakable.
As a painter, I respect the physicality of the paint and value the integrity of the mark. I borrow images and objects from the everyday life but mainly work from memory and imagination: my interest lies in the tension between life’s seen and unseen.
For me, painting is my way of looking more deeply into what lies beneath the surface of things. I try not to let the subject matter dominate or push a narrative. Rather, I let the painting lead the way. I embrace accidents, as they often take the painting in a new direction. The painting process becomes an inward journey that consists of constant selecting, examining, rearranging, breaking, reconnecting, discarding and, above all, discovering.
Elaine Qiu, is an artist living and working in Washington D.C. area. She received her BFA with honors in painting, from George Mason University. Qiu has exhibited her work at galleries including George Mason University, University of Maryland, Great Reston Art Center, Torpedo Factory Art Center, and a forthcoming show at Riverview Artspace. Her work is held in public and private collections across the United States. She is currently an MFA candidate at the University of Maryland College Park.