DIANN HAIST
Artist Statement & Philosophy |
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Art and painting are like breathing for me. Both must be done to really
live life to the fullest. My work is inspired by all that is around me;
the colours, the landscape, the people. I strive to put that life-force
and energy into the paintings.
Having been a full time professional artist for almost 40 years has
given me the opportunity to go to unusual places and meet many
wonderful people along the way. I can't think of a better thing to do.
Biography
The eldest of three children, Diann Haist was born and raised in a
small town in southern Ontario, Canada. Haist enjoyed an early exposure
to fine art through her meetings with some latter members of the
legendary Canadian Group of Seven artists, who gave her painting tips
as she followed them around her little town as they were plein air
painting. She held her first solo exhibition at the age of thirteen,
and in her college years, Haist pursued a classical art education. Her
studies in Canada under the tutelage of Audrey Garwood and Doris
McCarthy helped instill an enthusiasm for drawing and painting with
passion.
After her formal training, Haist kept up her interest in Life Drawing,
and began teaching, always emphasizing the importance of drawing from
life as a strong foundation upon which to build a work of art.
Haist's work typically employs the combined techniques of the
Impressionist Masters and the Old Masters. Being classically oriented,
she begins each figurative piece as an abstract, using a toned canvas,
often employing Rembrandt's technique of wiping out the masses of her
subject with a rag as the base upon which to build. Her figurative
works are also based on a solid grounding of drawing from life as it is
her belief that the ability to draw well, to observe structure and
balance, is the basis of creating a convincing work of art.
In her landscapes however, no drawing is involved. She lays
down broad areas of color and allows the masses of light to guide her
to her subject and to the liveliness and depth that have become her
trademark. Each layer applied allows the brilliance of the previous
layer to come through, similar to the working methods of the French
Impressionists, such as Monet.
Over her career of forty-plus years, Diann Haist has had many
successful solo exhibitions which have garnered her an enviable core of
collectors. Her versatility as an artist allows her to explore a
variety of themes: her oils and acrylics, either on canvas or paper,
display a bold brush stroke and confident technique.
Haist's paintings are part of numerous major corporate and private
collections in Canada, the United States, Japan, Argentina and
throughout Europe.
Diann Haist's work is known internationally in over 40 countries through Fine Art posters published by Posters International.
Fine Art giclee's of selected works by Diann Haist are also available through Bootstrap Publishing at HaistArt.com.
Diann currently resides in Alaska where the big landscape and it's Indigenous People are a never-ending source of inspiration.
“The inspiration for my art comes from a combination of extensive travels, with much outdoor painting and sketching from life, as well as a passion for music.
I have learned much from my favorite artists, Degas, Monet, Emile Gruppe, Edgar Payne, Nicolai Fechin, Lawren Harris, William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Wassily Kandinsky, Anders Zorn, as well as some 19th Century Scandinavian Impressionists"
RECENT JURIED EXHIBITIONS:
American Impressionist Society: 9th Annual National Juried
Exhibition, at the prestigious Coda Fine Art Gallery, 73151 El Paseo,
Palm Desert, California November 22 to December 22, 2008
RAYMAR FINE ART COMPETITION: July 2008 Finalist (Award winners to be announced Feb 2009)
SOME SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2007 Anna Kristine's, Anchorage Alaska Group
Exhibition artists Diann Haist, Eric Deeter, James Belcher, Don
Kolstad, Cheryll Heinze, Vladimir Bolotov & Glenda McKay.
2007 Art on Fifth Fine Art Gallery, (Best of Canadian Contemporary Art exhibition),Austin Texas
2006 St Pierre Galleries, Anchorage, Alaska
2004 ART on 5th Fine Art Gallery, (Best of Canadian Contemporary Art exhibition) Austin, Texas
2000-2003 Organic Oasis, Anchorage, Alaska
1999 Joy Gallery, Keywest, Florida
1995 Galerie Pauline Johnson, Montreal, Quebec
1994 Maruzen Co. Galleries, Nagoya, Kyoto, Sendai, Okayama, Tokyo, Japan
1993-99 Artisan's Alley, London, Canada
1992-99 Gallery Fyraarstyder, Stockholm, Sweden
1993 Jacques Brel is Alive & Well & living in Paris-Teatre Francais & Canadian Opera Company, Toronto, Canada
1993 Dimension Plus, Toronto, Canada
1992 Bonnie Kagan Gallery, Toronto, Canada
1992 Gallery 88, Clearwater, USA
1991-2007 Dimension Plus Galleries, Montreal Quebec
1988-99 Denison Gallery, Markham, Ontario Canada
1987-1994 Rosing Fine Art, Markham Ontario Canada
1983-1990 Whitman Gallery, Toronto Ontario Canada
1976-1980 Arthur-Morton Galleries, Yorkville in Toronto, Canada
PUBLICATIONS:
Featured in Magazin' art Biennial Guides 2000-2001
Featured Cover Artist for Selling Travel Magazine 1973-1976
A Few Accomplishments:
Since 1990, fine art posters of Diann Haist's work have been popular world-wide in over 40 countries.
- In 1994, Diann Haist was honoured to have 9 original paintings purchased which became part of a touring exhibition in 6 major cities throughout Japan, sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Trade and Culture.
- Over the years, Haist's work has been commissioned for and appeared in many major movies and TV productions.
- In 2004, completed a commission of 22 large original paintings for an important property in North Miami Beach Florida.
MEMBERSHIPS:
Diann
Haist is a member of Oil Painters of America, the American
Impressionist Society, and also enjoys painting with the Alaska Plein
Air Artists Group.
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