The name Elaine means “torch of light,” is a fitting reflection of Elaine Lazarus’s purpose as an artist—to illuminate, inspire, and bring warmth through creativity.

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Elaine’s art journey began early. At age thirteen, she received a Gold Key Scholastic Art Award for a sculpture her teacher submitted on her behalf. A year later, a visit to London’s Tate Gallery introduced her to the bold creativity of David Hockney—an encounter that profoundly influenced her artistic vision and continues to inspire her work today.

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Elaine studied Fine Arts at Cornell University, concentrating in painting, photography, and computer graphics. During this time, her distinctive visual language began to take form. Drawn to the interplay between architecture and nature, she sought to merge multiple ideas, themes, and perspectives within a single piece. This exploration led her to develop a structured, grid-based approach—where each section relates to and converses with the others—becoming a defining feature of her style.

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Her work is deeply rooted in the principles of Postmodernism, reflecting a commitment to diversity, experimentation, and conceptual depth. Influences from this period—such as anti-authoritarianism, pluralism, and the blending of high and low culture—inform her art, alongside her appreciation for humor, irony, and layered meaning. Elaine’s artistic influences include Robert Rauschenberg’s fearless experimentation, David Hockney’s vibrant exploration of color and perspective, and Fernand Léger’s bold, graphic forms.

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In her art, trees are a central motif, symbolizing life, growth, and the fundamental needs that connect us all. They provide shelter, nourishment, and wisdom, and their branches reach outward, signifying connection, spiritual growth, and the beauty of interdependence. Beyond symbolism, tree branches also serve as a design element in her work, gracefully weaving together bold colors, patterns, shapes, lines, and themes of femininity and nature to create a harmonious, interconnected world.

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Elaine’s art invites viewers to look beyond the surface—to find reflection, connection, and joy. Each piece is designed not only to add beauty and energy to a space, but to become part of the viewer’s own interpretation.