Painter Ellen Jean Diederich brings her subjects with vivid color and expressive brushstrokes. Enjoy her portfolio and view more by visiting her website.
“Golden Aspen” Acrylic, 22” x 34”
I love painting! I paint in watercolor and acrylic in a Neo-Impressionistic style, so color and brushwork stand out in my work.
“Hitched” Watercolor, 50” x 30”
My painting style is fairly loose. As a child, my sister tried to teach me to stay in the lines when coloring, but it never caught on. My study of volume and muscles in an interlocking manner rounds out my shapes, making my work loose and comfortable.
“Broadway Hues” Acrylic on Paper, 42” x 26”
I use my whole body to paint. In watercolor, to avoid fussiness (which will show up), I use a one-inch flat for almost all of my painting. It’s in my effort to twist and turn the brush so you can’t tell what brush I used that has affected my style the most. The big surprise for me is how it shows up in my acrylics, which I didn’t start working with until 2009.
“The Ladies Room” Watercolor, 15” x 22”
In my art, edges are very important to me—both the edges of the shapes and the edges around my paintings are like personal boundaries.
“Rolling Hills” Acrylic, 60” x 40”
I also pay particular attention to transitions by concentrating on open and closed shapes and contrast, leading the viewer to the area of interest. My sense of rhythm, learned through playing the piano, guides these transitions.
“Spring Update” Watercolor, 26” x 22”
Color absolutely fascinates me. A dominant color choice becomes a game where you can play with countless color scenarios.
“Bucks Mill Memories” Watercolor, 30” x 11”
I have favorite subjects—florals, domestic animals and architecture. At this time, I’m also beginning to pick up landscape painting. I photograph everything I want to paint and fill sketchbooks with ideas, choosing my favorites to paint.
“Lady of the Woods” Watercolor, 12.75” x 23.5”
I grew up in Wayzata, Minnesota and later my family moved to a farm in Staples, Minnesota. There, I was blessed to have two amazing artists, Rose Edin and Russell Norberg, as art teachers in junior high and high school.
“Foragers” Acrylic on Paper, 34” x 11”
My urban and rural backgrounds defined my subject matter selection. Graduating with a BFA in Fine Arts and a BA in Art Education from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, I now live in Fargo, North Dakota where I’m married and have two daughters.
“Siesta” Watercolor, 30” x 14”
As a founding member of the Red River Watercolor Society, my education is ongoing. I paint full-time and also love teaching workshops. I’ve published three books including “Progressive Painting—Your Creative Journey.”
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I also had Russell Norberg as an art teacher at Staples High School. He was a great teacher. And, since he was very cute, I also had a litlle teenage crush on him. Lol