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Heartbreak Hotel

40 X 30 oil on panel
SOLD
Exhibited by Robert Lange Studios in the Attention To Detail show
Robert Lange Studios

SOLD

This is a verse from the song Heartbreak Hotel made famous by Elvis Presley.

Well, since my baby left me
Well, I found a new place to dwell
Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street
At Heartbreak Hotel
Where I'll be-where I get so lonely, baby
Well, I'm so lonely
I get so lonely, I could die

This painting of the "Heartbreak Hotel" was very complex in the shadow lines and the layer upon layer of red paint that it took to give the depth and richness that I wanted. The time spent was more than double what I ever thought it would take to finish the painting with the detail that I felt it deserved.

While painting these many layers and complex lines of the Heartbreak Hotel I had my mother on my mind a lot. We all have heartbreaks if we live our life with a willingness to love. The heartbreaks we think of most often are romantic heartbreaks. But my biggest heartbreak in my life has been the loss of my mother. She was just 49 when she died with lymphoma. When I lost her my world stopped turning and the gravity that held my world together was pulled from beneath my feet. I no longer heard wonderful music or saw beautiful sights. With much time and the love from those around me, the beauty of life came back. It is as if all my wonderful memories and the love of those around me added layer upon layer of insulation around the pain. Now I can see and hear beautiful things again. I treasure my memories of my mother and occasionally a brand new memory will come to me as a sweet gift out of the blue. During the creation of this painting I remembered her taking me out to buy my first ring. It was a small tiny pearl ring. The heart never forgets but I can choose to let my pain become a pearl.

I hope when you see this painting you love the richness of the color and feel the fun and gift of life and love. Oh and look really really close at this painting because just for fun I have hidden the words Elvis, Presley, Hound Dog, Graceland and Memphis in unexpected spots.

Oh No!

16 X 16 oil on panel
Exhibited at Customs House Museum Paintings and Ponderings solo show
Available through Lovetts Gallery Tulsa, OK

Bad things DO happen so you might as well try to laugh when they do. This painting was done after a long-time friend shocked me and really let me down. I felt she "threw me under the bus" Only figuratively, fortunately. But it hurt. I felt like I was Mr. Bill.

I have an old wooden ruler that says "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." I often think what a utopia we would live in if everyone really practiced this. Whenever I feel someone has "done me wrong" my first thoughts are "man I hope there is some Karma out there." Then my second thought is if there is such a thing as Karma then what did I do to have this mess heaped on me? But I fully realize I am not always blameless and have created some bad Karma in my life. And feeling sorry for one's self and trying to get even aren't really very healthy or productive.

Anyway, back to this painting. I always loved the Saturday Night Live skits with Mr. Bill. I would guess that most of us have felt like life was using us as Mr. Bill sometimes when our feelings are hurt or situations are out of our control. That's life and if we can find humor in it, humor heals the soul.

I idealize the paintings of the late artist Charles Bell. I would have loved to have met him. First of all I would have a million of the technical "how did you do this, what's your favorite brush" kinds of questions but also he just had to have been a fun person to be around. His paintings are filled with humor and happy colors. My husband and I got to see several of his paintings in person in New York. You can't help but feel joy in your heart and pure amazement when you see what he has put on canvas.

I think Charles Bell would like the "Oh No!" painting. I hope everyone who sees it enjoys the humor and has warm memories of the times they watched the old "Mr. Bill" skits on SNL.

Diane

Jacks

30 X 40 oil on panel
SOLD
J A WIlly Gallery Naples, FL

I had always wanted to paint the sign of Jack's Barbeque on Broadway in Nashville. The flashing pigs are just outstanding. It is one of my favorite signs and believe me, I have photographed many.

I took many,many photos of Jack's sign and never got one that captured what I wanted until recently. Taking the "winning" photo however was a true adventure. My husband and I went downtown on a photo taking mission with Eli, the newest member of our family. We adopted Eli a few months after our two elderly dogs Sam and Marshmellow passed away. Why Eli you ask? My husband is a NY Giants and Eli Manning fan. Our other adoptee, a Cocker Spaniel, is named Peyton .

Anyway it was Eli's first week with us and the first time we had taken him out in the "dog mobile", our old Explorer. As we got out to take the photos, Eli decided he would get out too. Being used to slow moving dogs who never jumped out we were in shock. Eli not only jumped out like a bat out of hell he ran across Broadway in traffic. We called him and ran out in traffic too. Eli is really big and if you didn’t know him, looks kind of fierce. So rather than helping us catch him, people were running away. Finally a brave lady grabbed his leash and stopped him for us. It is a real wonder that Eli, my husband and I were not mowed over by a car on Broadway. Since then we learned to tether Eli while riding in the SUV.

Well I really digressed, didn't I? Back to the painting: my favorite color combination is Cadmium Red and Phthalo Blue. This painting not only has my favorite colors but also has the abstract shadow patterns that I adore. Because of all the details and large size I spent 4 months painting this. I enjoyed it but thought I had never seen so much swirling neon as on three pigs. I would love to see where the new owner hangs this painting. I am very proud of it.

I wish you great barbeque and pets that don't run out into traffic.

Diane

Thread Bare

20 X 16 oil on panel
Selected by Oil Painters of America to be in the 2016 Eastern Regional show at Eisele Gallery in Cincinnati, OH
Available through Diane
ncpdiane@aol.com

Have you ever had a piece of clothing that you loved so much that you wore it until it was absolutely thread bare? Or maybe it was a favorite couch that made you feel so comfortable you used it until the threads on the corners were all that was holding in the stuffing. I think something that has become thread bare is a true sign of love.

My Grandmother made all of my clothes as I was growing up. Sometimes I was embarrassed that I didn’t have any "store bought" clothes. But I loved all the wonderful dresses, skirts, blouses and pants she made for me. When they did get thread bare, parts of them would end up in my quilts. I love looking at my quilts and seeing my mothers old dress, my father’s pajamas and my old blouse. I have one quilt that is just my old wool skirts.

My Grandmother, Nanny, was always busy. She told me she didn't understand people who got bored. She loved to sew, garden and cook. And she did every task with love in her heart. I have so many of her creations. One old quilt is so completely thread bare, but I can’t part with it. It has bits of all my family’s clothes that I can remember them wearing till they were ready to be used in another way. If you could love someone until they were thread bare. I would love Nanny until she was but a small scrap of material. I have her photo behind my desk and never get tired of looking at her smiling face.

This painting "Thread Bare" not only reminds me of Nanny and all the spools of thread she went through in her sewing, but speaks to me of loving someone or something as long as you can hold on to it. Thread bare is just another way of saying cherished.

My Mother and Grandmother not only never wasted a scrap of material but they also had a great sense of humor. After my Mother upholstered a love seat, Nanny took the scraps and made me a pant suit. (Matching jackets and bell bottoms were the thing in the 70’s). There is a photo somewhere of me in my pant suit sitting on the loveseat. It reminds me of "Where’s Waldo". It was my living room camo.

My wishes for you are many "Thread Bare" things and people to cherish.

Diane