DIANE GILES

Diane Giles’ artwork is about abstracting the figure in order to emphasize each painting’s story. While her paintings are figurative, they are also interpretive. Her goal is to place the figure within an abstract narrative instead of depicting the figure with attention to the details of realism. The paintings are layers of acrylic paint, charcoal, and pastel. Marks that happen during the creative process are allowed to remain, giving clues to how the  artwork was developed. The figures that are created may seem to appear and disappear on the canvas, evoking a mystery of a fleeting impression and allowing the viewer to use their imagination to fill in the context. 

 

Diane Giles was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Before moving to Santa Barbara in 2003, she lived abroad for thirty five years in various countries raising a family, and working as an interior designer. Her early work was influenced by Chinese brush painting learned while living in Asia. On retirement in 1995, in London, studying watercolor painting, figure drawing, and attending art classes was her main focus. After moving to Santa Barbara, her paintings became more abstract with a shift from watercolor to mixed media. 

 

Giles’ work is shown in juried shows and various galleries in Santa Barbara. She has had solo shows at CASA gallery and Porch Gallery. Her work can also be seen on a rotating basis at 10 West Gallery (10 West Anapamu Street) in Santa Barbara.