Artist Bio Diane D. Chilson

Artist Diane Chilson who says drawing "is most often a great emotional outlet" is equally well known for her bold drawings displaying contrast and clarity.

Chilsons work is displayed in her online gallery at www.cottonstompconte.com and her work has been featured on many artists sites on the net. A professional critique by Artists Networks Greg Albert on the portrait “Inhabitant” can be viewed on Artist Network.com.

Diane is an artist who celebrates the natural beauty of ordinary subjects in a way that is both intense and dramatic. She draws in both Conte and Charcoal and has a diverse portfolio — from intense thought provoking portraits to calming still life's and equine art in realism.

"When I am at my easel I am in my own world," Chilson says. "Drawing is my expression of how I view and feel the world around me. The technique that Diane uses to produce her artwork was her inspiration for the name of her online Gallery. “ A sanded dust is created from the earth tones of the Conte and applied to the paper with a cotton rag, the stump is then used to blend and add detail”. Chilson refers to using a cotton rag as a tool to manipulate the medium, she uses an eraser for highlights and contrast.

A member of the Seminole Texas Area Council for the Arts, Chilson has been featured in a one woman show and her art has hung in numerous business in Texas and New Mexico. Some of her work has been inspired by her travels in Europe, where she has resided in England and Holland. Chilson has been featured in the Seminole Sentinel with emphasis on her work and medium.

Diane and husband Doug share a passion for training and raising pointing dogs. They enjoy Field Trials and can be found supporting and running events in the southwest. “We enjoy our horses as much as training dogs, and we are thankful the two go hand in hand” explains Chilson. An article in “The American Field” explains how Chilsons work was incorporated into the passion she shares with her husband.

“It seems that I have just really started gaining exposure as an artist” Diane explains. “Although my artwork has always been a big part of my life, and I started selling and doing commissioned work early on, I am just now at a place in my life that I can really enjoy my work and give it my full attention” Chilson has raised three children through her husbands 23 year military career.

Although Chilson is mostly a self taught artist she has studied Art at New Mexico Jr College and New Mexico State University, she continues her studies in hopes of gaining a degree in Fine Arts. “In The Faces Of America” is a series of portraits that she is working on to present in upcoming shows.

PUBLISHED IN THE 2007 EDITION "Harvests Of New Millennium" (Journal of Art and Poetry)

PUBLISHED IN THE 2008 EDITION "Taj Majal Review"

PUBLISHED IN THE 2009 EDITION "Harvests Of New Millennium"