ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Lynnette Diem grew up in Venezuela and Trinidad where her father worked as a geologist.  Her family returned to the US when she was 16 and eventually settled in Southern California.  She attended California State University, Northridge where she received her B.A. in Art and later her M.A. in Art.

In addition to being an artist, Lynnette has been an art teacher for 34 years including 10 years in Jakarta, Indonesia on the island of Java.  Living and traveling abroad has had a remarkable impact on Lynnette’s art.  Her paintings explore her sense of place, and have reflected her various experiences traveling and living in Java, Nevada City, Sacramento, South America and the Caribbean.  Although she has lived in Sacramento for the last 14 years, she continues to spend one month during the summer living in another country which provides the opportunity to paint in a new environment and bring a wealth of imagery to her mixed media paintings.  Recent travels have included Bali, Australia, Spain, Portugal, and Mexico.

While teaching in Indonesia Lynnette fell in love with pattern and design.  Since coming to live in Sacramento, she has discovered how relaxing the river can be.  Rafting and floating down the river has inspired her to try to capture the rejuvenating flow of fresh water over river rock.

Her paintings are reflections of time and seasons. The rhythm of the water over the smooth surfaces of the stones, the changing light at different times of day, and the patterns and shapes that emerge are a kind of meditation in painting.  

She is interested in looking closer at overlooked objects to create a sense of wonder out of the ordinary. The brushes push the paint, and, like the river water, flow languorously across the surface of the canvas, with art reflecting life and vice-versa. 

Recently, she has begun to include mixed media (cardboard, paint, magazines, and natural materials) to capture impressions of the different countries in which she has traveled.  Using collage in her paintings is a way of incorporating subordinate images.  She uses artifacts, found text and drawings to suggest a narrative of the inner and outer journey.  These newer mixed media pieces document traveling experiences without reverting to tired clichés. 

Currently Lynnette teaches painting and drawing as well as sculpture and ceramics at Davis High School in Davis, CA, and resides in Sacramento.