So sketchy.

Some recent sketches, which may or may not turn into paintings eventually:

Studiomate.

Despite my promises to myself, the blogosphere, my keyboard, etc., I haven't updated since the WPW-a-thon extravaganza of this past September. But that doesn't mean I haven't been busy! No, indeed. It just means I've been too busy to post. (I think that's what that means. Or maybe too lazy to post. Hm.) Anyway, allow me to remedy this tragic state of affairs with a little update: a recent alla prima sketch of my studiomate, one night recently when our model cancelled. I have two versions of the painting because MAN OH MAN is it hard to photograph dark paintings. You will notice the painting looks wildly different in these photos because A. my phone's camera is apparently crap and B. this here painter (me) is apparently a crap photographer:

studiomate sketch photo #1 - too light, too much glare

(painting is 12"x12", oil on panel)

studiomate sketch photo #2 - TOO DARK WAAAAY TOO DARK

Sigh. We can't win them all, folks. Here's to more painting, at least - whether or not I'll be able to accurately photograph them or not.

More soon when I find the Goldilocks sweet spot.

WPW all around!

Hey all, I've been a lousy correspondent of late for sure... but it's partially because some serious Women Painting Women exhibition awesomeness has been going on. Woot! Here's a photo from the juried exhibition at Principle Gallery Charleston in South Carolina on September 5 - a huge number of the participating artists showed up, from as far away as California, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, New York, and more:

Just a handful of the artists participating in Principle Gallery Charleston's Women Painting Women exhibition in September 2014

I'l post some more soon... but in the meantime, we have some more photos and such posted to the Women Painting Women Facebook page (be sure to "like" us... we recently just went over the 10,000 "likes" mark! Yay!) at this link. Also, be sure to check out the Women Painting Women blog, where we update more images of women by women painters.

The show received some nice coverage, all of which we haven't completely collected yet... but here's a mention from Fine Art Connisseur at this link. The magazine was also kind enough to cover the Women Painting Women-spawned "PayIt Forward" exhibition at Principle Gallery's original location in Alexandria, VA - here is the article on that show (whose concept was designed by artists Alia El-Bermani to share the spotlight not only with more women artists but also with local charities, who received proceeds from show sales).

Until soon! Happy painting!

sketch of NMB, oil on panel, 14"x11"

by Diane Feissel

Pardon my absence...

Ok. Ahem. Was it actually a full year ago now that I vowed I would be better about updating this blog? Probably. Anyway, I'm *slowly* getting my act together, and have at the very least updated some new paintings to my regular website, which has been a long time coming. You can see these at this link on my site.

There's a bunch of good stuff coming up soon, including a new "Women Painting Women" themed show - in honor of the 5th anniversary of the blog - at Principle Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina. More info and a preview of *all* of the pieces in the show can be found here!

More soon! I promise (or do I? Auughh!!) In the meantime, I'll leave you with a painting that is itching for a good home...

voilee, oil on panel, 12"x12", by Diane Feissel

(...a painting of lovely and talented artist Susan Lyon)

Le retour.

Yes! I have been absolutely abysmally awful awful awfully terrible about posting here over the past 9-10 months or so. Yikes. There's been a lot of life change going on, a breakup, an apartment move, a broken ankle, some sadness and some happiness and some painting (but never enough!!!) Anyway, I'm going to try for a quick recap here, and then let's move forward in the second half of 2013 with some hardcore productivity, shall we?

The Converge exhibition in NYC last November was terrific! A great show, a great collection of work, fun opening. Since then I've shown in another group show at Artists' House in Philly this past April, the "Year of the Woman" show. Again, great work, great people!!

Me with some paintings that I sold at Artists' House's "Year of the Woman" exhibition, April 2013.

(Photo by Charles Walsh)

I also went to see some other people's art... here I am at Eleanor Ettinger in NYC (photo by Daniel Maidman):



I also met some new artist friends at the annual Portrait Society Conference in Atlanta, Georgia - here I am with Quang Ho of Denver, Colorado (photo by Melissa Gann Burgess):

Some artist friends in Philadelphia hosted some artists friends from NYC around the time I was still on crutches with a broken ankle - here's some of our merry crew in Rachel Constantine's studio before heading out for dinner (l-r: me, my studiomate Stephen Early, Rachel Constantine, Victoria Selbach, Nancy Bea Miller and her husband Paul Downs, and Alexandra Tyng. The incomparably awesome Daniel Maidman is the one taking the picture, and somehow we managed to not get Garth Herrick and art conservator Lauren Cassady in the photo!! Whoops.)

Speaking of awesome artists from other cities, earlier in the spring I finally had a chance to meet the amazing, super-wonder-magical artist couple of Rory Coyne and Lauren Levato, visiting New York City from Chicago, Illinois!! A bunch of us met up and it was groovy (l-r: me, Rory Coyne, Lauren Levato, Chris Leib, Daniel Maidman, Reiner Hansen - photo taken by David Kassan):

In addition to hanging out with artists, I've been sitting for some artists, too... here's a painting done of me this spring by the awesome and amazing Fred Danziger:

And here's a painting sketch of me in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts cast hall by David Shevlino:

Here's a drawing of me by Scott Burdick (CHECK OUT THAT HAIR!!! This does not occur in nature, I assure you):

Here's one little one by my studiomate, Stephen Early:

  

And, OF COURSE, I've been doing some painting of my own, as well... not as much as I'd like, but that's the way things go when life is kind of crazy and ankles are broken and other life stuff gets in the way. Boo. Anyway, here's one of friend and incredible artist Felicia Forte:

force of nature, oil on panel, 8"x16"

Also, I've done a sketch of Matthew, who helped me to not lose my mind during my period of convalescence with the broken ankle:

sur la terrasse, oil on panel, 12"x12"









More soon! Really. I swear it won't be another 9 months before I update again. For REAL. But just in case, you can always find me on Facebook... I'm very update-y over there.

Peace out for now. Keep painting, y'all.





















Resurfacing.

I realize it's been a spooky amount of time since I've posted here - suffice it to say, it's been a busy summer and fall out here in Philadelphia. I'd love to update you on the blow-by-blow of the last several months, but they were crammed full of stuff... so I'd only be able to hit a few highlights. Let's recap a little but mostly focus on upcoming good things, shall we? So, here's the latest:
 
•I am so pleased to be a part of a group exhibition in New York City this November. The exhibition, entitled “Converge: Where Classical & Contemporary Art Collide,” was created and curated by Allison Malafronte, former senior editor of American Artist magazine. Allison is an arts writer, editor, columnist, and curator based in New York City. You can see more on the exhibition and the curator’s statement at the following link: http://www.convergeartnyc.com/

 

 

•I was also fortunate to have had my first solo exhibition here in Philadelphia at Artists’ House Gallery in Old City. The show was on display from October 3-28, but if you are still interested in any of the pieces on the website (http://www.artistshouse.com/artist/?id=420), feel free to contact Artists’ House for more information!
  
•My painting “the uncertain silence” won an Anna Hyatt Huntington Bronze Medal at the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club’s 116th Annual Open Exhibition this October! You can see the exhibition online at the following link:http://www.clwac.org/onlineexhibition/onlineexhibit5/onlineexhibit5.html
 

the uncertain silence - 12"x9", oil on linen

 

•In early October I spent a week painting with friends in Barcelona! It was a terrific time, though we did run into some trouble with the law… apparently it is illegal to paint on the streets of Barcelona! Who knew? Anyway, please see my friend’s tongue-in-cheek video about our strange experiences and our dangerous art addiction problem: http://youtu.be/lpQr3tF06zs



6"x6" sketch of the view from Montserrat, Catalonia



Painting, panting.

Y'all may have noticed that it's been absurdly hot here in the mid-Atlantic region of late (and, what the heck, in most of the country, really)... yet I have been trying like mad to fight all of my worst urges to melt into an overheated puddle of despair, and instead to KEEP. PAINTING. So, here are a few things I've been up to, just bits and pieces - the first is a sketch done at a friend's studio yesterday, the next is a sneak detail of a larger piece (30"x40", I think) that I am finishing up for a show this October - more details soon!

suspense (sketch), 6"x6", oil on panel 

master of your universe (detail), 30"x40", oil on canvas