Elizabeth Salehian-Kingston’s journey as an artist started early. Born in Manchester, UK, her childhood included time in Washington DC and Baltimore, USA. At just four years old, she drew her first recognizable face. That moment of excitement set the stage for a lifelong pursuit of art.
She eventually returned to England for her education. After matriculation, Elizabeth earned a scholarship for Illustration and Design at Goldsmiths’ London and Kings College, Newcastle-on-Tyne. She balanced her art studies with family life, working as a Specialist Art Teacher, Tutor, and Illustrator from 1970 to 1987. During this time, she earned nominations for various book awards from the Children’s Book Council, which acknowledged her skills as an illustrator.
Elizabeth’s artistic journey expanded through prestigious residencies. In 1997, she became the Resident Artist at the NSW University Atelier of the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris. This residency, spanning March to July, was part of her MFA studies, which focused on studio-based research at UNSW Sydney. The experience allowed her to delve deeper into her interest in spatial abstraction and how the figure operates as a ‘vector’ within space.
Elizabeth’s first solo show happened in 1975 at the Grace Brothers Gallery in Sydney. Her fine art practice since then has primarily revolved around large-scale oil paintings and bronze sculptures. Over the years, she has exhibited her work across Paris, Belgium, the USA, and Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. In 2001, she was awarded a Fellowship grant to the Vermont Studio Centre in the USA, where she continued her exploration of spatial abstraction.
Elizabeth’s work centers on studying the “figure in space,” both physically and psychologically. This fascination reflects her interest in how isolation and connection are expressed through space. Her art often plays with the concept of ‘vectors’—figures situated in environments where the negative space around them holds as much significance as the subjects themselves.
Her painting, Beach Figures, is a perfect example of this approach. It depicts figures observed on Australian beaches from a distance, providing a sense of limitless land and seascape. Elizabeth’s intention was to capture the space between these figures, isolating them from each other and their surroundings. She draws inspiration from the Japanese concept of Ma, where negative space is considered an essential element of design. This approach emphasizes the silence between objects rather than just the objects themselves.
The Beach Figures painting is atmospheric, with figures appearing almost ghost-like against a backdrop of sunlit sand and pale sky. The painting invites viewers to consider not just the figures themselves, but the expansive emptiness surrounding them. Elizabeth’s use of color and form suggests a serene yet disconnected reality where the environment itself becomes an essential part of the composition.
Elizabeth’s practice has always been expansive. Her curiosity about how figures interact with their environments continues to push her work forward. Despite years of experience, she approaches her art with a constant sense of discovery. She is driven by the idea of isolating figures from the ‘ground’ they inhabit, letting space itself dictate much of the narrative.
The influence of her time in the USA, Paris, and Australia is evident in her paintings. The vastness of the Australian beaches, the elegance of Parisian art spaces, and the creative freedom of American residencies all feed into her work. The figures in her paintings are often ambiguous, leaving the viewer to interpret their place and purpose within the composition.
Now working from her home studio, Elizabeth continues to experiment with spatial abstraction. Her paintings are not just about depicting figures but exploring how those figures exist in relation to their surroundings. She is fascinated by how distance and isolation can be conveyed through a brushstroke or a shade of color.
Elizabeth Salehian-Kingston’s work is about more than just painting or sculpture. It’s about finding meaning in the spaces between. Her fascination with isolation, connection, and the way figures occupy space has become the thread running through her artistic practice. She continues to paint, experiment, and explore, guided by the same excitement she felt drawing her first face as a child.
