Meet Diana Tremaine | Fine artist working in a contemporary realist style

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diana Tremaine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diana, how do you think about risk?
I think taking risks in service of one’s passion and truth is really a must for growth and achieving one’s goals. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in fine Art in 1989, I stayed in Los Angeles for many years pursuing my art career. In order to make that work financially, I always had 2 jobs – both teaching and working at galleries – while simultaneously pursuing my own art. While the abundance of galleries and museums in Los Angeles was artistically stimulating, the obscene amount of driving required and the general life style of Los Angeles was simply not spiritually fulfilling to me. I struggled with the desire to move as I clung to the misconception that in order to be a successful artist I needed to be in a major art “hub”, either New York or Los Angeles. Eventually, I decided being spiritually fulfilled was more important to me and I believed that honoring that truth would serve my work better in the long run than staying somewhere I THOUGHT I SHOULD be. I took a chance on leaving Los Angeles and decided to move to Bozeman Montana where I was certain the landscape and wildlife would better serve my soul. This was a big risk for my career. Once in Montana, however, I built a small house which was photographed and published in several local journals. My artwork was included in the articles and before I knew it galleries were reaching out to me to show my work. Doors opened effortlessly for me as a result of taking a chance and being true to my inner calling. After a few years of being in Montana, I decided I needed a large professional studio. I realized if I wanted my work to be taken seriously I had to do the same. I refinanced my home, took out a loan, and built a gorgeous 1000 square foot studio – another huge risk! With a better studio the quality of my work went up, and new doors opened again. Taking a risk is a way of saying to oneself “I believe in you”. Once you have committed to that belief, others will inevitably follow.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My oil paintings would fall under the general catagory of contemporary realism. I paint both figures and wildlife (primarily large birds). My birds tend to be more simplified and abstracted while my figures are pulled up to higher resolution in some areas. What unites all of my work is an emphasis on overall composition, always a reminder that what I am presenting is indeed a painting, not attempting to be a facsimile of reality, and as such every inch of that canvas must serve the success of the overall composition and image. I grew up in New York City where I was constantly exposed to amazing contemporary art. My work attempts to bridge my love of traditional rendering with a contemporary aesthetic. I am also extremely process oriented. I find the paint itself, and the act of making marks, extremely sensual and exciting. In attempting to bridge both traditional and contemporary painting, I fully render some of the most critical passages of the image (usually face and hands), and leave other passages wide open, using only extremely large brush strokes (created with house painting brushes) and plenty of drips. I layer my work, always leaving at least one small view to some of the earliest marks, In this way the history of the painting is always on display. Glimpses of what came first are seen below every layer, speaking, I hope, to the transitory nature of all that is.

Being a professional working artist is not an easy road. It takes quite a tough skin, as not everyone will like your work, and some may go out of their way to let you know. One of the greatest challenges for me has been to maintain an openness to hearing the feedback of others, while NEVER making anyone else’s opinion more valuable than my own. Creatine strong work requires that you DO THE WORK!! Successful artists do not wait for inspiration – they simply show up every day (5 days a week that is!) and do the work. Not all of it will be successful, but the commitment to staying the course will always lead to some key breakthroughs where what you are trying to say truly shines! And if you want your work to have a voice in the world, you must take some chances, risk some rejections, to get there. Show it to galleries, collectors, etc, and let the ones for whom it is a fit come to you! Don’t be afraid of the more obnoxious side of social media – the “likes” don’t matter! Put your work into the world unapologetically and let its audience find you!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
oh boy, if my best friend were visiting for a week the time would fly by in the blink of an eye.! No trip to Bozeman would be complete without a visit to Yellowstone National Park – that is a given! After a day with the bison, bear and wolves, we would surely drive out of the park through the town of Gardiner and stop at the Yellowstone Hot Springs. The mineral baths here – hot, mild and frigid cold – are nestled between two mountain ranges and set just up the bank from the Yellowstone River. As you soak in the baths wildlife sightings including elk, big horn sheep, deer, and are all but guaranteed. Following a relaxing soak we would likely stop at the Old Saloon in Emigrant for an amazing meal and cocktail in an atmosphere that salutes old time Montana with an upbeat contemporary vibe. For a cultural day, we would head downtown and take in my favorite galleries, including Visions West Contemporary on Main Street and Echo Arts in the now ubercool north side of town. Lunch at Finks would follow our gallery hopping! For the best of contemporary culture set in the rugged mountains north of town, we would visit Brackett Creek Exhibitions. Artist and curator Matthew Chambers has created a truly unique experience here by exhibiting fine contemporary artists from across the country in a breath-taking mountain setting. We would surely take a day or two to enjoy one of the finest rivers this country has to offer – the Madison River, the Yellowstone River, the Gallatin River or the Jefferson River. Depending on our mood and river of choice, that could be by float, kayak, canoe or raft. A day up in Big Sky would be another amazing option. A hike out to Ousel Falls followed by a stop into the Gallatin River Gallery and Jill Zeidler’s Pottery studio is also a must! Honestly, one can find as much natural and cultural stimulation here as they hope to – the possibilities are limitless.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My painting and printmaking instructor at UCLA, Suzanne Acosta, has been my greatest source of inspiration, both professionally and personally. Suzanne’s work blew my mind from the first moment I saw it. Deeply personal and deeply moving, her figurative work speaks to the complex and multi-layered psychological experience of being human. Over the decades Suzanne has consistently deepened her exploration of the human psyche and the complex nature of the relationships we build, always building upon her own unique style and vision, never being swayed or influenced by trend or external forces. Her love and commitment to her students, and the unparalleled value she places on teaching, is rare in my opinion. As a student of Suzanne’s, one has the experience of having their work valued and appreciated. Suzanne has inspired me to be true to who I am and my vision from day one. She remains a dear friend and inspiration today.

Website: www.dianatremaine.com

Instagram: @dianatremaine

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Image Credits
Diana Tremaine