Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Savino.

Hi Diane, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

Art was something innate in me. From a young age, I always wanted to draw and learn how to paint. Unfortunately, art wasn’t offered at my high school so I was relatively self-taught until I reached college. However, I found my greatest teacher at the University of Massachusetts when I attended for post-graduate study. William Patterson is an amazing realist artist and demanding teacher; I developed more of my skills in drawing, watercolor, and egg tempera through his tutelage. I furthered my instruction in egg tempera by participating in workshops led by artists Fred Wessel, Koo Schadler, and Jeremiah Patterson.

In 2017, I took a trip of a lifetime and visited Florence, Italy, where I had the opportunity to view the Renaissance masters’ egg tempera narrative paintings in the Uffizi Gallery and Fra Angelico’s paintings in the Convent of San Marco. I studied every stroke and color overlay to discern how their paintings were accomplished. This was an eye-opening experience for me and gave me new impetus to refine my skills. I also marveled at their gilding processes, making me eager to learn more about gilding.

I took some online gilding courses with master gilder, Charles Douglas, and that is when I turned yet another corner in my skill level. Today, I am still experimenting with pastiglia (raised gesso patterns), sgraffito (etching into opaque paint over gold leaf), and granito (punchwork patterns in gold leaf).

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

I had reached a pinnacle in my career with representation by an independent art dealer, Barbara Moran Dervan, in NYC. My work was getting noticed, and Barbara showcased my paintings at the London Art Fair. I was also teaching art at Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA, and had my first major egg tempera curatorial experience through the college’s art gallery. I felt I was building momentum in my career when suddenly I faced a mysterious breach of health. It took a couple of years and many physician appointments to learn that I had acquired Lyme Disease. This derailed my whole professional and personal life, requiring years of IV antibiotic treatment for neurological Lyme Disease. Because I no longer had the energy or steadiness to hold a paintbrush, I had to take a career detour by channeling my energies into independent curating. This segue, however, would also prove to be fortuitous because it opened my world to new contacts, experiences with writing publicity and contracts, and pushed me to regain a foothold in my studio practice.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am best known as an egg tempera painter and independent curator. In my early painting development, I sought a means to connect with my Italian heritage and find my artistic voice. I remember when I was a child, my Italian grandfather built small shrines in his garden to protect his crops; the statuary of the Virgin Mary and saints were placed in small birdhouses perched on poles like holy scarecrows. This memory provided me with the idea of enshrinement. I was also drawn to such Renaissance narrative painters as Botticelli, Fra Angelico, and Crivelli. I was seduced by their use of shallow space, vibrant jewel-like colors, and beautiful figures. The last influencing factor in my development of egg tempera work is my affinity for the rural land. My backyard abuts the woods and as wildlife like bears and bobcats began intersecting with it, I had a new cast of characters to add to my visual stories.

I like to enshrine aspects of nature and human nature, often highlighting their connections with the embellishment of gold leaf. I sometimes appropriate imagery from the Renaissance works that I admire and reinvent the narrative. My artworks have a more contemporary feel despite being created with ancient media. The marriage of imagination with realism sets my artwork apart from its Renaissance lineage and helps to communicate with modern viewers. The medium of egg tempera also sets me apart from most artists as it is not a common painting method. It is a labor-intensive process, in which chalk gesso is mixed and warmed clay bole is applied as a cushion for gilding. My painting practices have informed my work as an independent curator, perhaps an unusual role to take on as an artist.

In my work as an independent curator, I endeavor to bring the ancient media of egg tempera, gold leaf, and silverpoint to museum, public, and collegiate gallery venues. I create educational exhibits to help viewers understand the history of these archaic practices and to introduce contemporary painters who utilize these techniques. I have partnered with such museums as the Attleboro Arts Museum, Attleboro, MA; Mary Washington Museum Gallery, Fredericksburg, VA; and Westfield State University, Westfield, MA, among other galleries. My curated exhibits have been profiled in American Artist, American Art Collector, Art New England, and newspaper publications. I have been proud to be the originator of these shows, as well as a participant. The artists selected for these venues are of the highest caliber. This prompts me to create the best work possible to be on par with my colleagues.

What I am most proud of is making a comeback with my artwork. After years of Lyme-induced illness, I never strayed from striving to paint professionally again. It was a huge struggle to return to my studio but with a dedication to practice and unyielding perseverance, I reached my goal. I am a lifelong learner, and I hope to keep my practice fresh through experimentation and the inclusion of different media in my painting process.

What do you like and dislike about the city?

I live in the small town of Hatfield in Massachusetts, but I don’t consider it a city. It has a relatively stable population of over 3000 people. I have roots in Hatfield, as I am the third generation to live in the house that my grandfather built and where my mother was born. This is an idyllic place where a farming community still thrives and one can find farm stands with fresh produce in the summer. My grandfather was a farmer, and some remnants of his plantings still return in the spring on our land. I reminisce about his bountiful vegetable and flower gardens, and the fruit trees that graced our backyard. Open spaces of land and the woods surround my home, making me feel cocooned in a little sanctuary.

I also like the sense of community in Hatfield with such town traditions as our annual Luminarium before Christmas and Memorial Day Parade. There are generations of families who still reside here, and I have been fortunate to maintain friendships that began in childhood. Neighbors are friendly and are willing to lend a hand when needed.

There’s not much that I don’t like about Hatfield, because it is situated in a 5-college area with a wide selection of events to partake in. Additionally, Hatfield is close enough to Boston and New York City to make a day trip and have a larger city experience. When I feel too cloistered in this small town, I leave for a while to venture well beyond these small boundaries and immerse myself in a new place, finding new stimuli.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://etartistdi.wixsite.com/mysite/new-works
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianesavinoart/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050233848065

Image Credits

Diane Savino