Diane Staver
Ms. Staver relocated to Indiana from the Chicago area in the early 2000s. Diane attended The School of Art Institute of Chicago and Northern Illinois University (BFA and MA in Studio Art in painting). She has several years of experience in the fine arts, graphic design, and as a college professor.
Since age five, Staver knew she wanted to be an artist, beginning to paint with oils at age ten. Her work is shown nationally. Diane was a full-time college professor in Indianapolis, Indiana, for thirteen years. Her teaching experience includes the fundamentals of design, color theory, drawing (figure, observational, and perspective), painting, mixed media, and illustration (including book, editorial, and sequential illustration).
Diane says of her inspiration, “I love urban environments. I love cities; the bigger, the better! I love the people, the movement, the architecture, and the sounds that makeup life in an urban environment.” She adds, “Some people love the serenity of the country, but not me. I lived near a major highway for years and slept like a baby!”
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I don’t use pencil and paper to create my concept work; I do everything digitally. I use Photoshop and original digital photos to create my concept art. I combine photos, then manipulate, merge, add to, and eliminate areas until the final image emerges. Once satisfied, I used the completed image as a visual reference for paintings. In some cases, I leave the piece as digital art.
In my recent work, I’ve been exploring urban environments. Sometimes, it displays windows that merge the interior content with the reflections of the city. Other times, I add graffiti to buildings or objects. I love buildings that look like they have been around for years. I enjoy working with solid and bold colors and flattened forms.
When painting, I work with acrylics and mixed media. I use a stretched canvas explicitly made for applying different mediums. I am careful to work with archival materials.
Ms. Staver relocated to Indiana from the Chicago area in the early 2000s. Diane attended The School of Art Institute of Chicago and Northern Illinois University (BFA and MA in Studio Art in painting). She has several years of experience in the fine arts, graphic design, and as a college professor.
Since age five, Staver knew she wanted to be an artist, beginning to paint with oils at age ten. Her work is shown nationally. Diane was a full-time college professor in Indianapolis, Indiana, for thirteen years. Her teaching experience includes the fundamentals of design, color theory, drawing (figure, observational, and perspective), painting, mixed media, and illustration (including book, editorial, and sequential illustration).
Diane says of her inspiration, “I love urban environments. I love cities; the bigger, the better! I love the people, the movement, the architecture, and the sounds that makeup life in an urban environment.” She adds, “Some people love the serenity of the country, but not me. I lived near a major highway for years and slept like a baby!”
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I don’t use pencil and paper to create my concept work; I do everything digitally. I use Photoshop and original digital photos to create my concept art. I combine photos, then manipulate, merge, add to, and eliminate areas until the final image emerges. Once satisfied, I used the completed image as a visual reference for paintings. In some cases, I leave the piece as digital art.
In my recent work, I’ve been exploring urban environments. Sometimes, it displays windows that merge the interior content with the reflections of the city. Other times, I add graffiti to buildings or objects. I love buildings that look like they have been around for years. I enjoy working with solid and bold colors and flattened forms.
When painting, I work with acrylics and mixed media. I use a stretched canvas explicitly made for applying different mediums. I am careful to work with archival materials.
$355.00
Digital art.
16x20x1"
Limited edition 1 of 30.
This is a signed limited edition.
This is the top level of a parking garage in downtown Chicago. It was located kitty-corner from the hotel where I was staying. I have been intrigued by the small house-like building, which is part of the garage.
$485.00
Digital art (framed).
24x18"
Limited edition 1 of 5.
The Vintage Edge is based on a barber shop photo (original) in Champaign, Illinois. The shop is in a building that housed the Theatre Belvoir, a movie theater built in 1915.
I visited Champaign on a Sunday afternoon, so many businesses were closed. I was delighted to find this shop open. Notice the barber at work through the main-left window. Created in Photoshop.
$485.00
Digital art (framed).
24x18"
Limited edition 1 of 5.
South Wabash @ Monroe is based on a photo (original) of downtown Chicago. This lower floor houses the School of the Art Institutes of Chicago's Fashion design department. The building, known as the Sharp Building, was built in 1902. It was created in Photoshop.
$2,420.00
Oil on canvas.
20x24"
This lovely bodega is near the longest outdoor escalator in the world, The Central–Mid-Level escalator, and Walkway System in Hong Kong. The store had brightly colored lanterns hanging from the awning and fresh fruit and vegetables displayed on the sidewalk.
$3,075.00
Acrylic on canvas.
16x20"
This painting was inspired by the Petrillo Music Shell in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park. I additionally merged photos I took in Hong Kong of a storefront and a building that was being torn down in Indianapolis.
$5,530.00
Mixed media on illustration board (framed).
20x24"
I usually don’t work with the figure or use symbolism, but events starting with the death of George Floyd demanded it.
As we all know, we witness massive, essential changes in this country involving civil rights. I knew my king needed to be shown with dignity but still be held down by the shackles that society has imposed.
I was inspired by a photo of the Jamaican musician, Gyptian. It was a profile photo with his hair flying. The pose has a classical feel, reminding me of The Duke of Urbino Federico da Montefeltro.
This painting is not a portrait of Gyptian, but a combination of several different men.
$2,770.00
Oil in linen (framed).
16x20"
Pittsburgh is an exciting city. It has changed a lot since the 1960s, from a steel town to a city vibrant with the arts. This is from a photo I took of a building on the river. It is called CAPA 6-12, a Creative and Performing Arts Magnet school for sixth through twelfth grades. I merged a photo of mushrooms (they kind of look like lemons in my painting!)
$350.00
Digital art (framed).
20x16"
Limited edition 1 of 50.
When I went to downtown Chicago to take photos, I knew this image would become a piece of art. It is a closed coffee shop in the Inland Steel Building. Inland Steel is one of Chicago's many iconic buildings, built in the mid-50s. The coffee shop appeared to reflect the mid-century vibe.
$420.00
Acrylic, marker on illustration board (framed).
20x16"
Based on a photo I took of a 7-Eleven Store in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Chicago has several 7-Eleven stores; this one is located on West Madison Street. The graffiti is from Indianapolis!
$4,170.00
Acrylic on board (framed).
28x23"
This is based on a photo I took in Chicago, Illinois, at the iconic Marshall Fields building. I was raised in Chicago, and a shopping trip to Marshall Fields was always exciting. Although no longer owned by Marshall Fields, the building still has many of its glorious features.
$175.00
Digital art (framed).
12x12"
Limited edition 2 of 25.
The main entrance of the BMO Building in downtown Indianapolis. I took a series of photos of these doors, but it took a while to come to this conclusion. Part of the issue was the lighting. It was very sunny outside, but the outdoor area near the doors was protected by the building jetting out, making it very dark near the entrance. To add to the lighting issues, the interior light was dark. It took a lot of work in Photoshop to get the original image in a usable state.