The Living Southwest
|
The Living Southwest presents a collection of work by representational artist Diane Manousos, who paints a variety of subjects in her preferred medium of oil paint. The artist attributes her diverse taste in subject matter to having lived in various parts of the country, experiencing the beauty of surrounding environments and interacting with a wide array of people. Originally from Los Angeles, Diane lived in Indiana and Pennsylvania before moving to Texas (Galveston, New Braunfels, and Spring). She enjoys painting Texas, the Southwest and its people, portraits, land and seascapes, old and historic houses, the classic still life, and florals.
Diane began her art studies at John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis, followed with studies at Galveston College under John Stovall and in the Galveston-Houston area with Dick Turner, Bill Kalwick, and Ted Goeshner. Her artwork has been exhibited and sold in galleries in York, Pennsylvania, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Gruene, Texas. A Word from the Artist about The Living Southwest: While my husband and I were driving through the Southwest toward California from Galveston, I was amazed at how little the countryside and its people resembled the backdrops and caricatures to which I’d been exposed in the movies seen in my youth. Although arid and stark, the bold mountains and vast desert were powerful, even colorful in unfiltered reality. The people we met along the way were gracious, friendly, and respectful. Their products, especially the pots, were modern creations of antique designs and so very well done. There is a mystique about original antique pots but when these are unavailable I paint the people and artifacts that I find and add contrasting touches to a trip I’ll not soon forget. |