Reviving Materials with Art
I’m Elaine, an abstract artist based in Taiwan. I often create on my terrace using leftover, broken, or recycled materials—turning them into something new and alive through paint and intuition.
This post shares the stories behind four of my recent works. Each piece reflects not just an image, but a moment of connection between nature, memory, and personal reflection.
“Fish Entangled in Net”
Size: Approx. 19.5 x 17 cm
Medium: Acrylic paint, cotton string, rice paper, fabric, ink, and mixed media (partially reused materials)
This piece was built from discarded cotton string, rice paper, and fabric. Somewhere in the process of assembling it, I saw the form of a fish—wrapped in netting, yet still and peaceful.
It doesn’t struggle. It simply coexists with its circumstances.
This work reflects not only the feeling of being stuck, but also an invitation to rethink coexistence—with nature, with limitation, with life itself.
“Leaping Whale”
Size: Approx. 19.5 x 13 cm
Medium: Acrylic paint, fabric, ink, and mixed media (partially reused materials)
This whale wasn’t painted—it appeared.
I found it in a dried pool of acrylic paint on my palette. The shape looked just like a whale gazing into the sunset. I gently moved it to canvas, added sea breeze with ink, waves from fabric, and gave it light.
This isn’t just an image of the ocean. It’s a collaboration between the leftovers of nature and the creative process. I hope this whimsical whale brings a breeze into your day—and reminds us to treat the sea kindly.
“Watching the Sun by the Sea“
Size: Approx. 15.5 x 13 cm
Medium: Acrylic paint, fabric, rice paper, ink, and mixed media (partially reused materials)
Have you ever picked up trash by the shore, sat down under the sun, and suddenly felt the world lighten just a little?
This painting captures that exact moment—sunshine, damp sand, and a quiet sense of peace. Using fabric scraps, fragments of acrylic paint, and rice paper, I recreated the feeling of that day. It’s not a depiction of a landscape, but a record of a resonant moment shared between nature and the self.
“Girl in a Vintage Dress”
Size: Approx. 20 x 13 cm
Medium: Acrylic paint, ink, and mixed media (partially reused materials)
I often visit vintage shops like I’m on a treasure hunt—though I’ve never actually found a dress I truly love.
During this piece, I peeled off a dried fragment of acrylic paint. To my surprise, it looked exactly like a vintage dress. So I placed it on canvas and painted this girl—playful, relaxed, and a little bit cheeky.
This abstract portrait, made with recycled materials, is a spontaneous game of style, memory, and imagination.