CNM Author's Reception & Leonardo Magazine

Author's Reception and Library Exhibit

So my big quest has always been to be published.  You know, for my great literary work. This week I attended a reception at the Central New Mexico College Library.  The library personnel were gracious enough to sponsor a gallery of  published authors.  My exhibit, however, was not literary but artistic.  I just happened to have a few painting and sculptures laying around.  Naturally, I had nothing available to submit as far as published works this year.  My bad!  Yes! I will be ready and have something at all times.  That will learn me!

The reception was an adequate turn out of distinquished authors most in the academia world.  You know, professors who have Ph.D's and have published so many works this exhibit was beneath them but there were a few interesting publications that gave me some good ideas.  For instance, many authors are writing articles for local papers, which I could easily do by submitting letters to the editor of our local paper.  Also, there were a few books published about local interests, like Santa Fe Gardens. 

I was very impressed with one book that featured screen shots of the excel program and offered step by step instructions how to use Excel, obviously produced by one of our faculty members who teaches the course.

The keynote speaker was Tony Hillerman's daughter, a published author in her own right. 

I submitted about five pieces of art.  Ceramic sculpture, paintings, a handmade haiku poetry book and a few other pieces.

Leonardo Fine Arts Magazine

This week my paintings and sculptures are featured in Leonardo Fine Arts Magazine.  This is a magazine featuring a combination of stories, poetry, and different mediums of art. The edition is being released this week and I hope to make the release party on Wednesday and get a copy of the magazine as it may be their last publication due to, yes, budget reasons.  Unfortunately, we have another engagement to attend and we will be cutting it quite close. 

So, my art is circulating various places around the state. Nice, wonderful, and I am complimented, but as formentioned, my dream to have my literary work receive a bit of recognition.

So, step one is, have some literary work ready to submit when invited.  I definately cannot promote something if I have nothing which is exactly what I have prepared. So over the next few weeks and months I will be pulling some articles, essays, stories and poetry, revising, editing, submiting and maybe sharing a bit with you.

So without further ado I will share what I had on display at the Author's Reception:

Native Warriors, Acrylic Painting

Jesus, The Christ, Acrylic Painting

Two Feathers, Acrylic Painting



San Miguel Church-Ceramic Sculpture



Haiku Poetry in Handmade Asian Style Book

Acrylic Painting by Nancy Diodati

A C R Y L I C  P A I N T I N G S . . . by Nancy Diodati

Two Feathers by Nancy Diodati

Deciding on a minor for my degree was difficult. I have a great interest in history, politics and psychology so I tried to squeeze each field in until my advisor seeing i was struggling with an answer, asked me what I spend my free time doing.  Most of my freetime related to art endeavors.  I enjoy painting the most these days. I tried my hand at oils but cleaning the brushes with smelly chemicals made me dislike painting.  A friend introduced me to acrylics and that was the breaking open of the barn door.  Mostly, I paint portraits but I do have trouble mixing just the right flesh color so sometimes it is a challenge. Since I declared Art as a minor I have felt a great sense of relief.

Apple painting an apple by Nancy Diodati

I had a very patient and experience painting instructor when I took my painting class and she helped me move to a new dimension  by teaching me to use colors I would never choose and techniques not found in books.  Thanks to her I was invited to put my work on display as a solo artist at the university art gallery.  I sold several pieces and received a great deal of compliments and positive feeedback. I displayed charcoals drawing, graphite drawings, pastels, acrylic paintings, ceramic sculpture, handmade books and fused glass jewelry.  They are all interrelated in a way. I hope throughout the semester to show you each of the mediums I work with.

Cleopatra-black & white by Nancy Diodati

Today I am sharing my paintings.  It has always been difficult for me to put my art on public display or share it with others unless I plan on selling the items, especially my paintings.  They feel too personal as if I am exposing my inner-self or going out in public naked.  I have been trying to determine where that idea comes from but I still do not know.

Robed Camel by Nancy Diodati

My paintings are spiritual expressions.  No matter the subject they are all showing their spiritual insides.  Perhaps that is why I have a hard time letting you in to see them.  In addition, I have only been painting for a little more than a year so remember I am no Van Gough.

Lion Couple by Nancy Diodati

Lion Couple, white paint on black gesso background.

Other than the yellow in their eyes the entire painting is done using only white paint.  This painting sold before I hung it in the gallery.  I had it leaning against the wall and someone bought it.

The Creation of Woman by Nancy Diodati

This was one of my first paintings. I had to defend this painting and the story of its existense is this:

When God created Adam, He scooped up some dirt from the ground and formed it into the image of a man and breathed the breath of life into him and man became a living being, but when God created woman he took a rib from Adam back to His art studio. (You must know God has a bad art studio!) He took his time with the woman. He sculpt clay around the rib bone, building layer upon layer. Letting it dry a little than adding more clay. If you have ever worked in clay sculpture you can understand the difficulty in forming this creation. Once His clay sculpture of this magnitude was completed she was put on a pedestal to dry.  I imagined how God must have created Eve with delicate features and since we are made of clay I figured He must have baked her in the kiln for a time so she would not be quite so breakable.  This painting is the imagine of Eve being baked in the kiln.

You will find a few more of my original paintings in my webstore.  Click on the painting to enlarge the image for a closer look.

Acrylic Paintings by Nancy Diodati