Photography by LORI SPARKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
As a child, Diana Shearon used white butcher paper wrappings for her drawings. Today she reflects on the fields and forests of her childhood as the catalyst for her creations. Plein aire painting connects Diana’s rural experiences to landscapes and brings her back to nature. Her work is available at Red Door Gallery. Diana shares her insight and unique perspective that she’s maintained as an artist throughout her life.
inspiration… I am drawn to nature and beauty. Plein aire painting – painting on site – brings me closer to my subject matter. Often it may only be a small 6 x 8 inch oil study, but from that memory of the moment, the colors and the feel of the atmosphere can be captured in a larger work.
FAVORITE ART FORM… I primarily paint in oils, but love to draw with charcoal and pencil too – often creating a small sketch before beginning the painting.
EVOLUTION AS AN ARTIST… Painting has always been my first love. For years, I used watercolors or paint by numbers as a child. I requested a set of acrylic paints from the Sears & Roebuck catalogue and received a set for Christmas when I was 16 years old. It was pure joy painting that Christmas candle on the kitchen table. Career and family kept me focused on graphic design and illustration for many years – painting as a full-time artist has changed how I approach my work. There is a movement of light in my work. When painting from life outdoors or a floral still life in my studio, “light” plays an important role in my passage. I am still learning how to capture it. A painting instructor caught me changing the light on a structure from where I had originally placed it. He said, “You are chasing the light, but that is okay,” so I keep chasing the light.
ADVICE TO ASPIRING ARTISTS… Keep working and challenging yourself. The last few years I have been fortunate to study with several very noted national artists who helped me tremendously. Read books, look at art, experiment and don’t be afraid of making mistakes.
