The
Art of Dianne Lay
WATERCOLORS
151 Treehill Lp
Eugene OR 97405
541.344.1308
Art Education: Barbara Nechis,
watercolor Terry Isaac, wildlife
Rebecca Mann, watercolor
Ellen Gabehart, watercolor
Michelle Thorpe, watercolor
Sarkis Antikajian, watercolor
Nada Zawodny, drawing
Lane
Community College, drawing
Marilyn Reaves, designing with nature
Current Affiliations: Watercolor Society of Oregon
Emerald Empire Art Association
Corvallis Art Guild
ARTIST STATEMENT: The soft flow and subtlety of form that characterizes transparent watercolor is the essence of my work. I use light and color to highlight the many emotional nuances of ordinary life, and to achieve this I use the many subjects found in nature. Much of my subject matter comes from personal experience and "fond things remembered"
The technique I use most frequently is wet-in-wet. It is a lot like life: I have some control, but there are many outside influences. I may choose which pigment to put down, but the paper, dampness of the paper, and humidity all influence what happens to that pigment. The more experience I have, the more control I have. However, the results of influences beyond my control are often exciting.
I paint because I need to. Throughout my life I have tried to tuck the desire into a drawer and let it be, but that drawer keeps opening and demanding attention. So, I take a class, dab a bit and put the work back in the drawer. Soon, it opens again. In 1988 I gave up and left the drawer open, and have been a part-time artist since; working when I can as I make my living. I paint what affects me: a color (yellow sunflowers on a dark winter day), a mood (the mystery beyond the fog), a fond memory (distant storms rolling across the plains on my way to grandma and grandpa's house). I share my work for others so that they might also be sparked by a color, a mood or a fond memory.
My paintings have received numerous local awards and the Achievement Award from the Watercolor Society of Oregon in 1998 for the painting: "The Point of It All."
