Elizabeth Symington

About

"Engineers build structures. Poets capture feelings.
Picture framers do both."

M. David Logan

As a visual artist, I attack art like a picture framer using science and emotion. It’s the questions, "How does this work?" and "What if?" that force me to create.

When I make art I pretend to be a scientist: I focus on figuring out how techniques work and how materials relate to one another. Once that is sufficiently explored I move onto mastery of this new knowledge through repetition, like creating 100 miniature, magnetic, blue sheep. From there I ask myself "What if I put thumb tacks on their feet instead of magnets?" "What if I knit clothesline with a dowel?" "What if I try to use mostly thrift store materials and make them look like fine art?"

The techniques and materials I create with are varied, but my art carries strong characteristics, much like children's books: simplification of concept, tactile experience, questioning, vivid colors, whimsical nature and playfulness.

It’s the process of asking these questions and stumbling upon surprising results that drives me on to create.

Resumé