Diane F. Barbee
About the Artist
The brilliant warm light prevalent here in the Southwest lends itself to the color and dramatic compositions that are constants in Diane's work. The subject matter she is drawn to includes landscapes, still lives and interior spaces. Diane began painting as a youth in oils and developed her skills with various local artists. Beginning as a realist, Diane worked with layer upon layer of translucent oil paint. The more layers on the canvas the richer the image becomes. "I like to push my mediums as far as they will take me, "commented Diane in a recent interview. She carried that technique with her although her medium of choice now is acrylic. Texture, building the paint up from a dark ground, and drawing on the surface of the canvas are favorite techniques.
Diane is drawn to the same qualities in her work that inspire her life. She likes her work to show strength in design and color. Diane uses brush strokes and will define objects with line to give them power. Her compositions are straight forward, her color is bold and the line work is strong.
Freshness and surprise are qualities that come to mind when viewing Diane's work. She believes that life should be full of wonder and inspiration. Her philosophy allows her to enjoy a variety of subject matter. Considering herself an expressionist; she uses color to convey that and her subject matter is a vehicle to that end. Diane is an eternal optimist and hopes to bring that optimism to every painting she creates.
Diane's work is widely collected throughout the United States and Canada. Today her work can be seen in top galleries throughout the United States and in collector's homes world-wide. She has been published in Southwest Art Magazine and American Art Collector, with featured articles from 2006 to 2017. In addition the book Colour, Obsession, Joy and Torment included a feature about Diane. Many local newspapers have also published articles about Diane, including the Glendale Star and the Scottsdale Republic.
Being a native to Arizona, Diane has been truly inspired by the beauty and design of the desert as long as she can remember. In a feature article in Arizona's Collectors Guide she said, "Every color seems more brilliant here and color is an essential element in all of my creations." She has been working as a professional in the art field for 30 years. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Arizona State University. Diane currently resides in Bluffdale, Utah with her husband and five children.