Diane Overmyer from Warsaw is known for her Plein Air Art and Heartland Artists Gallery is pleased to offer her results of this painting technique to the community. En plein air or plein air painting, is a phrase borrowed from the French equivalent meaning “open (in full) air”. It is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors, where a painter reproduces the actual visual conditions seen at the time of the painting. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules; those might create a predetermined look. Artists have long painted outdoors, but in the mid-19th century, working in natural light became particularly important. The act of outdoor painting from observation has endured throughout the 20th and into the 21st century.
The challenge of painting outdoors became much easier with the invention of the box easel. It is a very portable easel with telescopic legs, a built-in paint box and palette making it easier to travel to and paint in any terrain. The box easel remains a popular choice since they fold up to the size of a brief case and are easy to store. Other challenges include the type of paint used to paint outdoors, animals, bugs, onlookers, and environmental conditions such as weather. Acrylic paint may harden and dry quickly in warm, sunny weather and it cannot be reused. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the challenge of painting in moist or damp conditions with precipitation. The traditional and well-established method of painting en plein air incorporates the use of oil paint.
Diane has overcome all of the challenges and has worked in over two hundred public and private collections throughout North America. She enjoys plein air painting, but she also works from life or from on-site studies in her studio. She received her formal art training through the Fine Art Program at Indiana University South Bend with concentrations in Drawing, Painting and Sculpture and through study with other well-established artists, whose work she respects. Most of her work reflects her love of nature and her fascination of elements from the past. Her goal is to help people to step away from their busy lives as they view her work and relate to her subject matter. Heartland will display her work from July 2nd – July 30th and there will be a Community Reception to meet her on Friday, June 8th from 5-8 pm.
She shared her methods and materials, “Art and the artistic process have been two driving forces throughout my entire life. As I have grown as an artist I have come to value artistic interpretation and mastery of materials over exactness and photo-like imagery. My goal is to capture moments in time and bring my viewers to places that touch me. Most of my art reflects that which intrigues me through some intrinsic beauty or through a juxtaposition of subject matter, but other very important pieces are centered on social issues or environmental issues that I wish to call my viewers’ attention to”
Diane has also taught drawing and painting classes and workshops for several years. She is currently the president of Northern Indiana Artists and a member of several respected art organizations including Indiana Artists’ Club, Oil Painters of America, Indiana Plein Air Painters and the Hoosier Salon. She owned the Sycamore Arts in the Old Bag Factory in Goshen, was an Art Instructor at Indiana University South Bend, and a Workshop Teacher since 2005 and ongoing. Diane offers private workshops, lectures and artist demonstrations.
Future Shows at Heartland Artists Gallery include: Jennifer Dunville will be the featured artist in August, Friendship Quilters Guild will display their beautiful quilts in September and Heartland’s 28th Annual Regional Juried Art Exhibit will take place in October. There will be an event for this Exhibit on Saturday, Oct. 8th – ‘Experience the Arts in Marshall County’.
The Gallery’s mission is to support area artists, to bring and to teach the arts to our community. Our not-for-profit Gallery gives area artists a venue to show and sell their art. Our art classes fulfill our mission for educating and the classes assist in our financial means to maintain the Gallery. Visit www.heartlandartgallery.com, Facebook, call 574.936.9515 for information. Gallery location is 101 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. Gallery hours are Tues. – Sat. 10-4.
Photo Captions: The art studio can be anywhere when you use the Plein Air Art technique. The box easel carries all supplies, sets up easily anywhere and brings the studio to nature. Painting by Diane Overmyer, featured arists at Heartland.
Diane Overmyer painting the Plein Air Art way – using nature as the art source and the studio. She is the featured artist in July and her art along with twenty other Member artists will be on display and for sale at Heartland Artists Gallery in downtown Plymouth.
