Elaine Grove was born in 1943 in Oklahoma City and earned her BFA in 1965 at the University of Dallas, Texas. She is a former faculty member of Parsons School of Design. She is the widow of abstract painter, Dan Christensen.
Grove has enjoyed a successful career in set design and illustration. Her illustrated works have appeared in various magazines and books, winning notable awards. Her theatrical sets have appeared on national and international television. Grove's current body of artwork, influenced by Civil War history, comes from the tradition of constructivism, using welded steel as exemplified by David Smith and Anthony Caro, two artists who have influenced the development of her artistic language. "My concerns lie with "drawing in space" and infusing an animating spirit or animus into the pieces I produce," she said. "I incorporate "found objects" into my work, but my intention is for the viewer to lose the sense of original purpose of the object, and focus rather on its form and relation to the overall sculpture at hand."