Featured Artist Diane Van Noord

Artist Diane Van Noord paints vivid and textural contemporary abstract landscapes inspired by her travels. Visit her website to see more.

 

 

“What is one word you would use to describe my newest paintings?” I asked my son when he came to visit. After a very thoughtful pause, his answer was so unique that I found myself actually savoring his answer. He said “Vacation.” It was so unexpected! I had never heard someone describe paintings as a vacation. I loved it.

 

 

My new contemporary abstract expressionist works are a synthesizing of all the painting compositions and techniques I have used and like best. They share a distinctive personal style of expressing the landscape through painting with oils, palette knives and texturing tools.

 

 

I have a desire to incorporate all the best aspects of my years of earlier paintings and techniques in watercolor, acrylics, mixed media and oil/cold wax/sand. These new palette knife oil paintings are about the beauty of the landscape. They contain shapes, bright color, texture and a sense of movement.

 

 

They are journeys of my imagination combined with my own experience. I’ve painted many beautiful landscapes throughout our country that I’ve seen and loved.

 

 

Painting with oils on oil-primed linen canvas is wonderfully luscious. Beginning with a toned canvas and a limited palette, I put down various layers of paint. I use my trusty palette knives and focus on interesting shapes, beautiful color and composition.

 

 

Texturing is done at the end in a very spontaneous manner, adding to the abstract quality of each work. The paintings are painted continuously around the sides, and framed in floater frames.

 

 

These paintings are so much fun for me to create and a true expression of my artistic soul. Each new painting is an adventure of exploration and discovery. A little like an art vacation!

 

 

My home and studio are in Grand Haven, Michigan, close to the Lake Michigan shoreline. For nine years I lived and painted in Arizona where the southwestern and western landscapes stole my heart.

 

 

I like to say I paint the landscapes of the Midwest to the Southwest with adventures in between, because it’s true. Wide open spaces, mountains, deserts, farmlands, flower fields, shorelines and sunsets forever inspire me with feelings of wonder and adventure. They fill my senses with a peaceful timelessness.

 

 

My goal now is to find new galleries across the country for my new work so that art lovers and art collectors can experience them firsthand.

 

Artist Diane Van Noord invites you to follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

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