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Spring Plein Aire

  This Spring has been absolutely beautiful and it has been a pleasure to experience. It always passes too quickly but perhaps that’s what makes it special. Its ephemeral quality makes us cherish all the more the reawakening landscape and the proliferation of blooms and requires from us to be present in the moment to fully appreciate its revelations. Every year I look forward to painting in the lilac gardens surrounded by the aromatic perfume wafting in the air. There is something magical happening. There is a connection being made, a commune with nature that’s soothing and liberating. Plein air painting teaches us to observe to be very present in the moment. In many ways it can be like meditation. Plein Air painting has taught me to stay in the moment and let go of control. And what I mean by letting go of control is to allow oneself to be willing to accept what happens with the weather, with the lighting conditions, with the way the painting is evolving. It’s a lesson not...
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Art Classes in Midland Park, NJ

Diana K. Gibson teaches  Oil Painting, Landscape, Seascape, Still Life and Portrait for Adults and Teens. For more information regarding the following classes, please contact us.  All classes are ongoing throughout the year unless noted otherwise.  Students may join at anytime.  Oil Painting & Sketching: Portrait, Still Life & Landscape  $110 a month for either evening $200 a month for both evenings  $35 for drop in session  For students painting from the model, there is a shared model fee When: Wednesdays and Thursdays  Where: 11 Paterson Avenue 
Midland Park, NJ  Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm Plein Air Oil Painting on Location  $40 per session When: Saturday or Sunday mornings (contingent upon weather conditions) Where: Locations provided to enrolled students  Time: 8:30am - 10:30am New: Announcing Classes for Teens and Young People coming this Fall.  Contact : To register for classes or to obtain  more inf...
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DuMond Prismatic Landscape Palette

  Back in March of 2018 I decided to recreate the DuMond Prismatic Landscape Palette Chart and donate it to the Ridgewood Art Institute.    That’s me above in the video creating the new chart. The original chart that we used was made by Joe Paquet.  As you can see it was heavily used and covered in paint swatches.    This made it difficult to discern the original values and colors that lay underneath. The new chart is much easier to read and will provide many years of use. It was nice to get a nod by former Board Member Ed Horvath of the Ridgewood Art Institute for my contribution to furthering the Frank Vincent DuMond, Arthur F. Maynard, and John P. Osborne legacy at the Ridgewood Art Institue. 
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DuMond Prismatic Landscape Palette

This is a brief presentation on premixing the DuMond landscape color strings.  Please click the video to view.  Video is also available for viewing at  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YSYjZYkoemM
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Healing

The art we create in essence is a reflection of who and what we are, what we have experienced, what we feel, what we think, what we would like to say.  Several months ago I lost my beloved pet.  It was a loss that I had never experienced before and it was devastating to say the least.  Many a day was spent feeling such sadness. Then one day I picked up a pencil and started to draw my dog’s portrait.  And from that point on the drawing became a means to express my love, my sorrow, all those feelings that had welled up inside.  Upon completion of the drawing  there was an internal shift and a catharsis followed.  The drawing had been a way to heal.  It had been a way to express everything that needed to be said and a way to honor her life.
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Making Linen Canvas Panels

In the never ending quest to find the ultimate painting surface I often experiment by making my own oil painting canvas panels.  It does entail some work, patience and time.  While it would be much easier and quicker to buy readymade stretched canvas or rolls of primed canvas, the process of making the panels makes the artwork very personal. You are involved with its lifecycle from the very beginning even before it is painted.  And because of the time and energy invested in making each canvas panel there seems to be a bit more mindfulness involved in the painting process.  To date I haven’t found that ultimate painting surface and so I continue to strive for it experimenting and maybe one day hopefully soon the magic moment will happen when at last perfection is achieved.  But until that moment, as the saying goes “if at first you don’t succeed, try try again.”
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Blogging vs. Facebook

It seems like a lifetime ago when I first set up my Facebook account and opted to concentrate my energies there on networking and exchanging ideas about art and artwork.  However after a decade or so on Facebook and having watched it change over the years I’ve come to the realization that the platform I once found engaging and constructive to building networks seemingly is no longer.  Upon reading one particular Facebook friend’s status update  (a fellow artist by the way) and the status update announced that as per this individual Facebook had become of a source of anxiety, dread and frustration.  And hence the status update continued with their announcement that they were leaving Facebook and returning to blogging.  In summary they felt that by returning to blogging they would get back to amicable exchange of ideas and discussions about none other than ART.  Such a novel idea. Their announcement struck me and I could absolutely see the merit in their thi...
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