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Diane Ainsworth is a professional artist living in Taos, New Mexico. She was born in 1944 and was raised in Tulsa Oklahoma. She took art lessons starting at a young age studying watercolors and oils. Diane continued her studies by majoring in fine art at Oklahoma University and the University of Tulsa.
Diane traveled around the country with her corporate husband. During that time she always painted, exhibited in galleries and kept up with her painting passion while raising two children. Watercolor was her medium of choice at the beginning of her career.
In 1985 she returned to oils after being inspired by plein air painters in Taos New Mexico where she took a workshop.
"The colors, texture and richness of the oils were a wonderful combination to express the vivid hues and glorious light of New Mexico."
Known as an impressionist painter she was co-founder of the Oklahoma Society of Impressionists.
After years of living and painting in both Tulsa and Taos Diane moved to New Mexico in 1990. She enjoyed the artist colony there and was active in the Taos Art Association. She won awards and today credits the Taos experience as one of the most inspirational and beneficial of her life.
While visiting the Pacific Northwest Diane discovered another artistic community in Port Townsend, Washington. Located along the Puget Sound it has a totally different climate and light than the southwest. Here was a new challenge of subtle color combined with beautiful grays.There were harbors, water reflections, ships and wooden boats that offered new inspiration.
She exhibits in galleries across the country including the states of Washington, Montana, Oklahoma and Georgia. Diane teaches classes and workshops in her barn studio in Port Townsend.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
"Each painting has different elements that inspire me to make them the focus of the painting. Sometimes I am inspired by the contrast of light and dark, or the sense of place, colors, mood or even the subject itself. Many subjects inspire me including landscapes, harbors, interiors, street scenes and figures. The most important element that I need is a personal emotional reaction to the subject...this is what
makes a painting be a painting because the feelings are expressed and shared with the viewer. This is my goal as a painter, not to be literal but to express and share my impressions and emotions."
Using oil paint allows me to have thin areas of paint or big rich thick areas. I paint spontaneously using lots of rhythm and movement while pushing and exaggerating the colors and values. I like the contrast of viewing my work closely or far away. Up close the painting becomes abstract forms of strokes and texture, from across the room it's impressionistic and the shapes fall into place. The painting process is both thrilling and frustrating but I feel very fortunate to be a painter and grateful for the challenges and the pleasure it brings me."