DIANE MICHELIN, artist of the month

Diane Michelin was a shy child who began drawing at a very early age and in her teenage years, she began painting, using acrylic and oil paints. However, when she became a young mother, she realized the need to be able to clean up her studio quickly, and so she decided to switch to painting with watercolours. Diane soon fell in love with the transparency and light of watercolours, and embraced the playful accidents which are characteristic of this medium.

As a young woman, Diane decided to pursue a career in teaching which allowed her to  express her creativity with her students. During that time she wrote and illustrated a book, did plays which included building backdrops and decor, made puppets, as well as wrote a novel in class and worked with her students in creative writing and oral speeches.

In 1993, Diane became a professional painter after leaving her teaching profession. She qualifies herself as a representational and detailed painter, but has recently decided to focus more on shapes, contrast and mood. As she is an avid fly fisher- woman, she often finds herself drawn to painting this subject matter. She also finds pleasure in painting all that she sees and loves, from still life to landscapes as well as portraits.

As a painter, Diane is guided by her desire to create a story with her brushes, to express a knowledge of the subject matter, and to execute each piece with a passion which resonates with the viewer.

Diane has mainly been influenced by the work of Norman Rockwell, and Canadian watercolorist, Carol Evans. Another painter, Jay Dampt, from the School of Art in Haliburton, Ontario became her mentor. His  “out of the box” compositions as a realist animal painter inspired Diane in her own work.

When asked what her ideal studio would look like, Diane said it would be “close to the water with huge windows and no carpet. There would be tons of space for creating and exhibiting artworks done by fellow painters, as well as pieces I have purchased along the years.” Her current studio has many of these features, and she feels blessed to be able to work there.

If Diane was to give advice to an emerging or aspiring artist, she would like the artist to know that “art is a calling, not a pastime. It requires motivation, goals and being surrounded by a partner in crime! You can’t do everything. You need someone to be behind you, promoting you and believing in you. It is a journey, with curves, accidents, encounters and risks. But it is so worth the journey!”

When looking toward the future, Diane wants to continue to search and define her work with novelty, never being satisfied with or continuing to produce using the same old and secure methods. She desires to be open to participate in different competitions, and to reach ever higher to continually produce her best work yet.

You can view Diane’s work at her website http://www.dianemichelin.com or follow her on Facebook (dimipaints) or Instagram (dimipaints)