New York artist Elaine Gaines
has been creating beautiful representational paintings since her childhood. Born and raised in the Bronx, Elaine is a native New Yorker who studied Fine Arts at the City College of New York.
After receiving her Bachelors and Masters degrees, she studied
with Frank Liljegren and Clifford Jackson, who were major influences on her representational style of painting that continues to today.

Elaine’s studies with Frank Liljegren began in the 70’s, and were focused mainly on studio painting. Frank, she says, “Added structure and taught me how to see”. Frank’s mentor, Frank J Riley, was an American painter, illustrator, muralist, and teacher best known for his 28 years of instructing at the Art Students League of New York.

During the 80s, Clifford Jackson became Elaine’s mentor for painting portraits. A well-known landscape and portrait painter, he studied under Clifford Carleton, his grandfather, and Wayman Adams at the Old Mill Art School in Elizabethtown, New York.

Elaine spent part of the 80s teaching at the Windward School, and assisting there in the art department, but her love was always painting.

"My interests have always leaned towards representational art. Within that general venue, my art has varied from realism to fantasy. My current interest is in capturing varied emotions of joy, dreaminess, introspection, and wonder.

Before beginning a portrait I find it helpful to develop a feeling for the subject's personality. Once you have this feeling, the painting process flows quickly, allowing me to capture subtleties of facial expression."

Her paintings have won many awards from 1978 to present, from such organizations as the Prince Street Gallery, Scarsdale Art Society, Old Greenwich Art Society, New Rochelle Art Society, Mamaroneck artists’ Guild, among others.

A Partial List of Elaine's Awards Include:

Prince Street Gallery National Juried Show, 2012

N.A.W.A. Juried show Riverside Library, New York NY 2011 2015

Scarsdale Art Society 2006 2007 2009 2011 2012

Dobbs Ferry Womens Club 2006 2007 2008 2012

Beaux Arts of Westchester County Federation of Womens Clubs

2006 2008 2009

Old Greenwich Art Society - sidewalk show 2006

New Rochelle Art Society, 1978 1983 1984

Mamaroneck Artists Guild - Open Juried Show 1980

Hastings on Hudson Award Show "Eight at the Gallery" 1978

Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club - Open Juried Show 1978

Arts Club of Washington DC - Juried Show 2015

Harrison Public Library Solo Exhibition 2008

Elaine became an exhibiting member of the National Association of Women Artists ( N.A.W.A. ) in 2010. In 2012, she received the Solveig Stromsoe Palmer Memorial Award from this organization, at their
123rd National Exhibition.

Elaine currently resides in Ardsley, NY and specializes in painting portraits, still lifes, landscapes, and other personal works.