Elizabeth Bhimjee

A non-objective approach to painting displays my ever-present curiosity with the organic nature of the paint itself. Paint becomes my subject matter, and I am fascinated by how it behaves - how it seems to forge its own path and decide its own direction. The material surface seems to suggest a living presence. With a mind of its own, each piece comes to life as the painting process progresses. Like chapters in a book, the storyline shifts and plotlines evolve. With each brush stroke, a theme develops where a blank canvas begins, and I am always mystified by the singular birth unique to each painting. It is this unfolding mystery that keeps me coming back to discover what might happen next. This not-knowing is what I chase, and the surprise ending never disappoints.

”There is always more to the story” is a theme that plays throughout my work.  Shapes and forms are influenced by my early beginnings as a printmaker and graphic designer, and color, texture, and depth add essential elements to develop the many layers of underpainting. The work invites the viewer to look closely, and then, to look again, to discover what at first glance may be hidden below the surface.

With a mix of paint and acrylic mediums, collage, graphite, and pastels, layers are often scratched and sanded back, and then reapplied to build a history and provide a glimpse of what lies below. This excavation speaks to my greater interest in the idea of lifecycle and legacy. With no roadmap, my process is guided rather by a blend of precision and control, balanced against spontaneity and intuition. This is life’s yin and yang, after all.

-Elizabeth Bhimjee