"Clamming at Newport, Oregon" Gouache Painting

Problems with hydrating broken tubes of watercolors and gouache

"Bengal Rose Painting" with a freshly applied UV protective, satin varnish poured over powdered and flaking paint. Also note that the picture has been switched from landscape to portrait. I'll eventually collage the bottom to the top.

The joys of painting on the floor by my warm wood stove came to an end when my husband reported Bengal Rose color on the bottom of his socks. I thought I had scrubbed up all the spills by the fireplace and that solved the problem. But last night the paint powdered and fell off the painting behind his dinner chair.

My reclaiming watercolor project is removed from our living area and is now in the shop studio.

Moving forward after thousands of paintings

Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook Orbs, watercolor on paper 30" x 22"

This is a time of reflection while I put together a show of 50 years of my paintings. After selecting just 40 from the ones in my collection and from borrowing some, the house is still just as crowded. My husband and I are stretching canvases to paint and then I have put a tinted coat of gesso to make a nice ground for the paintings.

I have new and gessoed over canvases in the shop studio and two piles to paint in the house studio. The sorting shelves of paper work has a shelf of recyclables. Interesting I thought I was going to make papers for collage and ended up modifying old paintings giving them some new life. A dozen have made it to keeper shelves.

Fast Drying, Juicy Watercolors Painted by the Wood Stove

Salvaging is a freeing experience. First I selected several hundred watercolors that are not special to me. Some are very old and good paintings but just not that great. I am painting either on the back or on top of bright color. I salvage all the paint from a tube, meaning I feel free to use large amounts of color. The fireplace is very warm and dries the puddles of paint with amazing speed.

Dried, painted papers are hung on the bulletin board. I am considering these for further layers, collages, or maybe as finished work.

Exhibiting on 2nd Floor Albany Public Library 50 years of painting fisheries

Albany Public Library is a newly remodeled insurance building at 2450 14th Avenue SE. The exhibit can be viewed during open hours. Monday - Wednesday 10:00 AM to 6:00PM, Thursday - Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00PM, Sunday 1:00 PM -5:00 PM. The second floor exhibit titled "The Rest of the Story" will be up through February.

A 15 % commission goes to the Friends of the Albany Public Library.

"Alsea Ripples" is donated to Oregon Hatchery and Research Center and will hang upstairs in the dormitory dining area.

Children's experience oriented watercolor class with environmental values

Monday, January 3rd, 23 children accompanied by a parent were eager students at a free watercolor class at the Albany Public Library. The supplies were mostly from recycled artist quality cotton rag paper. Some papers went through a long hot bath and bleaching with an additional coat of absorbent ground for watercolor. Substituting for commercial pan watercolor sets were small chunks of watercolor crayons left over from years of use with my grand children and my mother who suffered from dementia. The pealed crayons were inserted into molded plastic packaging salvaged from thumb tacks. Small lids served as water containers. Brushes were my own. In addition, I purchased 10 Camelia student pan watercolor sets with brushes from India. These sets had four larger wells perfect to fill from squirting until filled using only a small water sprayer. The small amount of water available made for paintings with brighter more saturated color and no waste water. The students used up all the water and were given seconds and thirds of water.

Cookie cutters of all subjects from mittens to animals and trees provided ideas for subjects and kept the shapes, cartoon-like, big and open. The children were creative in filling them. All selected painting the inside first. When these were ready to dry before doing the background, we gathered around the mystery table where I provided the solution to what things I carried with me on a watercolor plein-air trip. The kids checked to see if the letters they wrote down corresponded with the palette, pens, painters, and clothes I had. The use of pens and pencils were helpful in making creative decisions on how they wanted to finish their work.
Not all of the children followed my directions and for the most part that worked out fine. The small cakes of the Camelia set are perfect for small fingers and delighted one of the youngest boys who wanted to know if he could make thumb prints. Of course the set worked perfectly and he was absorbed in his painting for more than half an hour. When it was time to end class he was still making prints and he said he just loved finger printing. I was rewarded by having several examples of creative inventers of the materials that I could share with the others instead of always being the one governing what the children make. For the most part all had a good time, but there was one child who would not accept any suggestions, could not focus and became very upset when the too big watercolor brush did not provide a good enough point to paint the stripes on an American flag. The tantrum that followed was to wrinkle up the paper and throw it in the garbage. If I had taken steps to redirect this easily frustrated student, I may not have any different outcome. There are some who come to class bent on proving they are not good at art. It is curious to me that I have had an adult a few years back who painted the flag and was equally demonstrative. After class I retrieved the drawing. I am keeping it for a collage. Or save it as is: it is very good on its own merit.

Diane Widler Wenzel bio updated

Welcome to my blog journal. Over the years it has been a gift. Publishing for free. What a lark it has been. Over the years new improvements by Blogger and the arrival of Facebook gives me new ideas on what to do in the future. I am very appreciative of your comments. Thank you.

It is appropriate for new readers to start with my bio. It is time for me to think of where I have been and where I will be going next year with my art work.

Education
1966 – present 5,000 + paintings

1966 Bachelor of Science Degree with high honors in drawing and painting,
Portland State College, Portland, Oregon : studied under Frederic Heidel

Solo Exhibitions

2010 "Fish Story, 46 years painting whild my husband fishes," Albany Public Library
2008 “Hidden Dragons,” Sam’s Station, Corvallis
“Dragons Boogie Woogie,” Enid Joy Mount Gallery, Keizer Art Association
2005 “ A Vase of a Hundred Flowers” Pegasus Art Gallery, Corvallis
2003 “Trip to Tibet” Albany City Hall
2001 “Personal Symbols,” Footwise Window, Corvallis
2000 “Alaska Watercolors,” Boccherini’s Coffee Shop, Albany
“Robinson House Series,” Footwise Window, Corvallis
1999 “Watercolors,” Albany City Hall
“Waves in Abstract,” Sylvia Beach Hotel, Newport, Oregon
1998 “Water Impressions,” Illustrated Garden Gallery, Corvallis
“Watercolors and Acrylics,” New Morning Bakery, Corvallis
1993 Good Samaritan Hospital, Corvallis
Arts and Letters Gallery, Albany
1986 Two Rivers Market, Albany
1978 The Nut Loft, Aloha
My Studio, Clover Bldg., Bellingham
1969 Interactive Painting with Installation, Magnolia Gallery, Bellingham
Parlor Gallery, Portland, Oregon
1968 Hamman's Gallery, Bellingham, Washington
1967 Courtyard Gallery, Illahe Hills Country Club, Salem
Lake Oswego and Beaverton Public Libraries
La Points Department Store, Salem
1966 The Loft Theater Gallery, Tucson, Arizona

Group Exhibitions
Museum, College, Juried and Invitational Exhibits

2007 acrylic paintings, “Four Women Seven Years Later”
Benton County Historical Museum, Philomath, Oregon

“Feathers, Fins and Fire,” a group of three painters
La Selles Stewart Center, Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon

1999 13 watercolors and acrylics,
“Four Women Artists Celebrating the Seasons of Life,”
Benton County Historical Museum



Group Exhibitions
Museums, College, Juried and Invitational Exhibits
2000
1998 2 watercolors, “Historic Bridges of Oregon,” BCHM

Illustrated Garden Gallery exhibits at Lasells Stewart Center, OSU, and
Majestic Theater, Corvallis

1997 2 oil paintings, “Art in the Family,” Linn Benton
Community College (LBCC)

1995-2000 Four shows, Art About Agriculture, OSU

1993 2 watercolors, “Poppies,” Oregon State Memorial Union

1990 – 93 Shubert’s Gallery, Albany

1990 2 watercolors, Faculty Exhibit, LBCC

Painted fabric book and airbrush paintings in
accordion binding, Book Arts Show, LBCC


1986-89 Artist books in 4 Books, Books, Books,
Marylhurst College, Lake Oswego, Oregon

1972 Oil painting, juried exhibition, Whatcom County
Historical Museum, Bellingham

1968-82 Oil paintings in 5 invitationals,
Western Washington College, Bellingham

1962-65 Annual Student Exhibit, Portland State College, Portland

Group Exhibitions
Other Juried Exhibits
1991 – 2000 Watercolor Society of Oregon, six exhibits

1998 - 1999 Tulip Festival, Wilsonville Art Center

1993 Art Guild, juried exhibit, Corvallis Art Center

1967 “Organ Pipe Cactus, Inner Landscape” oil painting in
Oregon State Mobile Traveling Art Exhibit



Galleries and Alternative Spaces

2000 “Collaborative Painting with 90 Year Old Mother,”
Albany Public Library

“Trees,” Vistas and Vineyards En Plein Air,
Footwise Window, Corvallis

1999 Wild Rose Gallery, Philomath

1996-present Earth Works Gallery, Yachats and Lincoln City

1993–present Corvallis Art Center’s Corrine Woodman Gallery and numerous other Corvallis
Art Guild Show Places

Arts and Letters Gallery group exhibits, Albany

1993-95 Coffee Contada, Forest Grove, Oregon

1975 Blue Horse Gallery, Bellingham, Washington

Gail Chase Gallery, Bellvue, WA

1969 Sky Light Gallery, Port Angeles, WA

1967-69 Gallery 217, Bellingham, WA

1966 Atrium Gallery, Canby, Oregon
Long Alley Gallery, Lake Oswego, Oregon


Awards, Honors, Commissions
2001 4th place award, Watercolor Society of Oregon
2002 Purchase prize, Art About Agriculture, Oregon State University (OSU)

1999 Jay Clemens Juror’s Choice Purchase Award, Art About Agriculture Exhibit, OSU

1998 Best of show and first place prize, Vistas and Vineyards, Philomath, Oregon

1998 2nd place award, WSO Exhibition

1997 Best of Show, Accordion Journal, “A Day on the Mountain,” Friends of Iron Mt.

1995 4th place award, WSO Exhibition
Kaseberg purchase award, Art About Agriculture

1994 5th place award, WSO Exhibition
1985 Best of Show and People’s Choice, Annual Semiahmoo
Drawing Exhibition, Whatcom County Park, Washington

1984 Commission, “Church Lake II,” (oil) for Barbara Hanson

1969 - 83 Two Honorable Mentions at Fibers Unlimited Exhibit,
Whatcom County Historical Museum, Bellingham, WA.
Commission, Sunshine Printing, Bellingham, WA.

1973 Best of Show, “Aquarius Abstract,” acrylic, Sky Water Festival, Blaine, WA

1971 Best of Show, Oswego Art Festival, juror Percy Manser

1967 Best of Show, and people's choice, Bellingham Art Guild Blossom Time
Festival, WA.

1968 Commission, “Humbug Creek II,” (oil), Barbara Hanson
Commission abstract 6’ x 3’ oil for Marian Grant

1966-67 Best of the show, Oregon State Fair for two years
jurors Nelson Sandgren and Louis Bunce

1966 Best painting award and blue ribbons on three entries
Miss Washington Pageant, juror Donald Jenkins

1966 Scholarship from Lake Oswego Art Guild, Oregon

2 Commissions, 6’ x 3’, (abstract oils), Frank Myers

1961-65 Numerous ribbons, State and Multnomah County Fairs

1961 3 Commissions, watercolors, Dr. Eland, Portland, OR.

1960 Honorable mention for a figure drawing, Gold Key Scholastic Art Awards,
Richard Prasch, juror

1957 – 1960 Participant in Gold Key Scholastic Art Awards

Related Employment and Volunteer Work
1999–present Commissioned to curate Albany Democrat-herald reception area art wall

2001 Theme Show Chair for Vistas and Vineyards

1999-00 Education Chairperson, Watercolor Society of Oregon

1997-99 Artist in Camp, 3 river runs, Cooley River Expeditions, Oregon and Idaho

1998 Volunteer receptionist, Illustrated Garden Gallery, Corvallis, Oregon

1997-98 Board member of Illustrated Garden Gallery

1997 Home school art teacher for ill junior high student

1994-97 Corvallis Art Guild Show Chairperson

1994-95 Corvallis Art Guild Clothesline Sale Chairperson

1993–95 Water Color Society of Oregon Prospectus Chairperson

1990–94 Airbrush painting workshop instructor,
Linn Benton Community College, Corvallis and Craft Center, OSU

1990 Airbrush Class, accredited class in graphics department, LBCC, Albany

1985 Facilitated five figure painting sessions, community
outreach use of Oregon State University Art Dept. room

1977 Designed outdoor Christmas banners, Bellingham

Fibers Unlimited Marketing Group, Bellingham. (Lasted 1 year)
Started School Children’s Art Window, Clover Building, Bellingham
(Children’s art continued to be exhibited under the care of Joe the Tailor.)

1967-1985 Started figure drawing group, Whatcom County Parks, Bellingham
(17 years after I moved away, group is still on going)


1975 Art project parent volunteer,
Roosevelt Elementary School, Bellingham

1972 Artist in Resident, Bellingham High School

1966-67 Art instructor and arts and crafts show organizer
Silverbell Apartments, Tucson, Arizona

1965 Secretary White Gallery, Portland State College

1962 Lesson materials organizer, volunteer, Art Supervisor’s
Office, Portland Public Schools

Collections
2000 “Robinson House in Autumn,” a watercolor,
Benton County Historical Museum

“Mother on a Tractor Thinning Wood Lot,” acrylic,
Bend Oregon State University Satellite Campus, Art About Agriculture

1998 “Releasing a Steelhead,” Jay Clemens, juror

1995 “Boston Flour Mill,” watercolor,
Oregon State University Satellite Campus, Portland,
Art About Agriculture Permanent Collection.

20 “Silk Sunrise Screen,” Sunshine Printing, Bellingham

1975 Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi of Iran
(the silk painting, “Shore Birds” was confiscated by
United States Government: Commission for painted
10’ x 40’ silk mural above entry of the Cario, Egypt
coliseum was terminated when the Shah was deported and
died of cancer.)

1967 "Upper Clackamas," was purchased as a Townscape Award
to Governor Mark Hatfield.

1966–67 Three landscape paintings, First National Bank of Oregon
permanent collection of Oregon Artists,
First National Center, Portland

1965 “Future Portland Sky Line,” Smith Memorial Building Collection,
Portland State College

“River,” Bell Telephone, Springfield, Oregon

“Man Waiting,” Oregon City Medical Clinic

“Abstract,” Persy Manser, juror

Over a hundred Oregon and Washington collectors

Publication and Videos

“When Words Fail,” a video tape of Diane and her 90 year old mother painting collaboratively. Diane’s mother suffers from Alzheimer dementia but retains her aesthetic sense. The purpose of the tape is to share with other families how relationships can be strengthened through art.(The tape is produced by Donna Kuttner, 2001.)

Published author of “A Doll’s Birth and How I Helped,” Doll Reader, July 1991. Here I tell a story of my early interactive process. I was allowed to help design mother’s dolls.

Two paintings on silk, "Me As A Pillow" and "Shore Birds,” were on the cover of Graduate Woman, July/August 1980. The cover featured 17 art works from the 88 slides in a slide/tape with narrative script, an EFP Unusual Projects Grant. The objective was to show Pacific Northwest Women's art.

Two collaborative works for charity

"Peace on Earth" acrylic, 36" x 58", This painting was done in collaboration withMichelle Jondrow Schultz, Barbara Levine, and Barbara Weber. For sale for $450 not including crating and transportation.

Below "Viva", acrylic, 55"x40", Diane Widler Wenzel started the painting and Donna Kuttner put in some lines of color then Diane added the lowered eye lash in light green. For sale $350 not including crating and shipping. Both paintings will be exhibited in Corvallis at the Sunny Side Up Restaurant.

Please click on images to see enlargement.

One more painting for "The Rest of the Fish Story"

"Crab Boat II", acrylic on canvas, 40" x 55"

I have been organizing my studio looking for pictures for my retrospective, that until today I could not move in my space. It felt really good to start painting over this large one in the shop studio.

I should have more room now to continue to develop.

Watercolorist's 25th year studio cleaning

Cotton rag watercolor paper is precious and I had stacks of an estimated 900 full and almost full sheet watercolors unframed and without mats. Many have been previously framed and exhibited but are mostly not my interest now. I have put them in order of subjects ranging from people to beach scenery to abstracts. The stacks were on shelves with no more space to add more. I have difficulty finding specific paintings even though they are well organized.

Yesterday I felt very brave and I removed aproximately 250 paintings but did not throw away a single one yet. First I croped small gems from dozens of them. Two I liked so well I framed them for my January exhibit. After looking through all the 900 paintings I found the collage I was looking for and framed it as well.

My husband got into the act and experimented with the idea of bleaching one painting that I will cover with absorbent gesso for another watercolor.

I am still in the process of croping, reserficing, and sorting piles of unfinished work and saving bright scraps for collage.

"Fish Story" hung today at Albany Public Library

I feel a great deal of gratitude for my husband who helped me put the "Fish Story" up at the library. This wire system is new to me. Some of the paintings will need a label and I may change the placement a little when I am over the cold I picked up over the Thanksgiving family gathering. The next few days I will be taking it easy.

Reflecting on my art journey's direction

A website about Discovering Your Ju Ju is for me a reminder I must think about finding where I am going with my painting journey. The rain is falling hard on my umbrella and navigating around my studio and home is slowing me down.
I was looking for a couple of flutes I traded for a painting in October. I thought I put them in a closet and I went there first but did not see them tucked behind everything else. I frantically started looking in every nook including my studio where behind stacks of frames and finished painting piled in front of bins on wheels full of more painting behind which is a closet with more shelves stacked with paintings. When there is hardly room to walk safely into my studio, it is time to make some changes. Finally my husband found the flutes on the shelf where I thought they should be but I just couldn't see them because of all the knitting projects and table clothes crammed tight in front of the flutes.
The article speaks of pieces only you could do. I will keep what is truly me and recycle what is not. I have already started to donate seven 8" square Masonite blocks to the acrylic painting class at the Grace Center. Secondly, I am exhibiting about 50 to 60 paintings at the Albany Public Library over the next three months. And I have about 15 at a local business on rotating loan for a decade now. With these paintings out in the community, I will have time and space to retire ones that someone else could have painted. Retiring means recycling them.

Acrylic painting class Grace Center day care for adults

Tuesday seven participants painted 8"Masonite blocks. These two were a demonstration of Negative positive areas and painting with rags, sticks, variegated scrapers as well as brushes.
The class remained engaged for well over an hour.

"Fish Story" exhibit at the Albany Public Library December and January

A free class in painting watercolors, a family event, at the Albany Public Library. Time and details to be announced next week. Below is a painting that will be on display.

"Spawning at the South Santiam Fish Hatchery" watercolor on a full sheet, image size 22" x 30" This is a key painting in the exhibit, "Fish Story" all about volunteers including Boy Scouts helping the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. This painting is donated to Oregon Hatchery and Research Center

December through February Exhibit at the Albany Public Library

"Humbug Creek Revisited after 42 Years", Breitenbush, Oregon, 2002, acrylic on stretched canvas, 55'x 40". The small stones and still waters shaded by vegetation has been flooded away down to bed rock, the big mossy bolder remains. Although my mother's prophetic view of forests and fisheries is partially true, I have paintings telling optimistic stories of volunteers working the Department of Fish and Wildlife to reclaim nature's bounty.

My mother and I did art work on a camping trip. Hers is pencil on watercolor paper, 22" x 18". I did not understand her work then. Now I see she was drawing the future of idle fishermen waiting for the fish to return. The eroding deforested hills with corny fields of planted trees. Mine was of the stream in a corridor of woodlands by the creek. Humbug Creek, Oregon, 1960, oil, 24" x 18"

Alsea River, Acrylic on Museum wrapped canvas, 40" x 55" These paintings ar edonated to Oregon Hatchery Research Center.

Accordion Folded watercolor of Rocky Creek Wayside

This 9 1/2" x 4" painted on location has some information that a photograph did not. My eye saw more color and textures. I tend to exaggerate them and the camera made the whole more smooth.

November 6, 2010 watercolor workshop

"Drift Creek Falls" (7 1/2" x 4 ")

In September I painted on a hike to a newly reopened trail. The falls was greatly changed from last year because the face of the cliff fell covering the pool below. The cliff is clean basalt columns and gone are the mossy sides with water seeping through.

the painting was made from under the suspension bridge. These falls are to be found off of Hwy 18 after the Van Duzer Forest Corridor, turn left onto Bear Creek Road part paved, part gravel for 8 miles to a newly paved parking lot. The picture is from my accordion folded watercolor journal, painted on location. This is a sample for my workshop next month at the Oregon Fall Creek Fish Hatchery and Research Center.

For specific information of the workshop not at the waterfalls but in a class room with a window looking out at a bubbling stream. See the next post below for more details.

Workshop at Fall Creek Fish Hatchery and Research Center

This will be the fourth year that I have taught watercolor at Fall Creek Fish Hatchery and Research Center. It is free but pre regestration is necessary. It is the first Saturday, November 6. To secure a place call Joseph O'neil at 1-541-487-5512. Below is a student's work from last year.

In the afternoon it was dark and rainy outdoors. I tried to find an activity that did not involve going outside to paint.


Here is one result " Fort Hood" rendered by a gentleman who took up my idea of expressing your emotions and the perception of all your senses. Looking through my collection of photographs he selected one as a starting point. It was a sunset over water with grass in the foreground. For his "Fort Hood Flag at Half Mast" he preferred to paint on pure white paper slightly sullied by the folded grid for a book. The paper had been folded into 16 square pages but not cut. I don't know if the gentleman was aware of the symbolic significance of his heart felt memorial painting. I see this as an expressive work.
As a teacher I don't feel I had much success in convincing my students that they really have so much art inside them.
For the most part I had some very appreciative students learning some basic possibilities for carrying watercolors outdoors. I heard some wonderful questions on techniques. In hind sight I have additional things I want to share at the Fall Creek Fish and Art Festival, 2010.






I received this question. What specifically can I do to improve my style in watercolor?

This was a great question and the class was almost over. I had spent so much time talking about how to be prepared for sun, and rain and hunger and thirst. I showed how to manage drying your work without a hairdryer. I fear especially for the beginning students, there is a need to know much more about getting the paint from the palette to the paper. What different possibilities does a round pointed brush have in contrast to a flat one? Where do you begin first with the forms or the spaces around?
The beginning point doesn't matter. Then proceed on the path of least resistance making what you do as simple as possible. To improve your sense of color and how you form and place your images there is nothing better than trial. Select what you like best. Keep painting and drawing into your paintings. I really like to tint the paper before I paint and then just a few lines on location makes for painting that tends to be tied together.
I wish all my students more exciting, memorable painting experiences.

Abstract from my Indian Summer Yard

This diptyic is oil on 12" square Masonite boards with supports 1 1/2" deep. Just enjoyed making one more oil painting day before trying to put them away for the season. I paint outdoors because none of my studio areas are well ventilated.

Water energy as seen in emotional symbols in abstract painting

Acrylic on Masonite blocks, 12" square.