By Bonnie Gangelhoff
From an early age, Colorado painter Diana Woods was attached to horses. At first she was obsessed with drawing them; she eventually went on to ride competitively. “PEGASUS, a mythical creature, represents the magical qualities of horses that somehow steered me through a difficult adolescence and into a greater understanding of my place in the world,” says the artist.
Woods describes her style of work as “contemporary organic,” noting that she relishes experimentation and embraces the idea that her works are always evolving. “There are no mistakes, only discoveries,” she says. She has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from William Woods University in Fulton, MO. She also notes many artistic influences, including the Fauves for their experimentation with color and their painterly qualities, as well as Matisse, Picasso, and the abstract expressionists. Woods is represented by Kiechel Fine Art, Lincoln, NE; Schilling Studio Gallery, Telluride, CO; Blue Pig Gallery, Palisade, CO; and www.dianawoodsart.com.
Featured in our annual “21 Over 31” issue in November 2009