About

Elaine Robinson is a British contemporary artist whose work explores connection between people, ancestry, time, nature and evolution. Her practice is rooted in presence and instinct, working attentively within what she describes as the moving moment. Through participatory installations, painting and socially engaged projects, she creates spaces for reflection, trust and shared awareness.

Born in the north of England, Elaine gained a BA (Hons) degree in Art and Music. She has developed a multidisciplinary practice that documents the social landscape while gently challenging embedded social barriers. Public participation often shapes her work, allowing collective experience, opinion and presence to become part of the artwork itself.

At the heart of Elaine’s practice is a belief in an economy of kindness, love and respect. Her work asks how we listen to one another, how we remain attentive in a fast moving world, and why we have become less trusting of ancient, instinctive and proven ways of knowing.

A Practice of Presence

Elaine’s work frequently unfolds in civic, public and community spaces such as libraries, cities and parliamentary buildings. These are places where trust, access and shared memory still matter. Rather than creating closed objects, she builds living frameworks that invite people to pause, participate and leave a trace.

Her long term installation work is held within a series known as LIGAR, a group of seven emerging installations exploring legacy, identity and collective responsibility.

Turning ’ages was the first installation within this series. Developed through a two year city library residency and touring across the United Kingdom, the work documents our changing relationship with books, libraries, memory and publishing. The installation now permanently resides at Westminster Reference Library in London. Writing groups and community conversations grew around the work, reinforcing libraries as spaces of care, learning and continuity.

SPOTtimespotTIME is the second installation in the LIGAR series and has been emerging since 2015 as an ongoing city and nationwide walkabout. Participants are invited to offer their fingerprint, opening a conversation about trust, identity and what it means to leave a trace. What began as an exploration of human identity has evolved into a collective statement on unity, conservation and biodiversity, acknowledging that all life is connected and that humanity is part of nature, not separate from it.

The work has unfolded across significant social and political moments and within civic institutions including the House of Commons, the National Assembly for Wales, Stormont, the European Parliament and the Scottish Parliament. Alongside public walkabouts, the project continues to grow as a living archive of presence, responsibility and shared authorship. Additional panels include the NHS Public Health and Care panel and the Art as a Unifying Language panel.

PRESS STOP, conceived in 2015, will find its voice today. This triptych reflects on journalism, data and the early rise of spreadsheet culture and online reporting. The work examines how information is framed, filtered and sometimes distorted, highlighting the pressures and responsibilities of media. Although made earlier, its themes have become increasingly relevant in today’s climate of misinformation and rapid digital reporting. Images of the full work will be launched for the first time in March 2026.

Dream Drop is a more intimate, contemplative series consisting of seven small bird paintings. These works explore personal memory, imagination and the ephemeral qualities of time. Through light, colour and texture, the paintings invite quiet reflection and connection, offering a space to consider our internal worlds alongside our relationships with others. In keeping with Elaine’s commitment to accessibility and participation, the seven paintings were posted randomly for people to own, creating moments of unexpected connection and shared experience beyond conventional galleries or collections.

Painting Practice

Alongside her participatory work, Elaine maintains a quiet and deeply considered painting practice. These works explore time, memory and personal connection on an individual scale. Each painting carries a handwritten message on the reverse, written at the accepted moment of ownership. No prints are ever made. Each painting exists as a unique and singular work, intended to be lived with rather than reproduced. Together, the paintings form an intimate counterpoint to Elaine’s large scale participatory projects, holding the same values of presence, trust and care within a more personal exchange.

For affordable pieces of Elaine’s work, please explore Nefra Design, where a curated selection of cards, prints and illustrative works are available.

Elaine Robinson lives and works in Bristol. Her practice continues to evolve through participation, dialogue and long term engagement with people and place, guided by a commitment to kindness, respect and shared responsibility.