03 May May Showcase Artist: Shawn Deitch
Shawn Deitch was selected a 2016 Hoosier Woman Artist. Her painting “Morning Glory” will hang in the Indiana State House for one year.
Shawn Deitch, an artist living and working in Carmel, Ind., will showcase her oil paintings in Noblesville Creates’ Stephenson House in May. She draws inspiration from nature and has a special interest in Indiana wetlands and lakes as well as seasonal landscapes and cityscapes. An avid traveler, she enjoys capturing scenes from her trips and has added desert landscapes to her repertoire.
“Painting takes me into the world I’m creating; a peaceful morning, an exciting jaunt through the woodlands, exploring wetlands via kayak or memories of my first car,” Deitch says. “The great majority of my paintings are alla prima, even the large pieces. I love the satisfaction of beginning and finishing a painting in one day, even if it’s a very long day.” Alla prima is a painting technique in which layers of wet paint are applied to previously administered layers of wet paint.
Deitch spent her early years painting, drawing and creating art from fabrics, clay and found objects in her immediate world such as plaster, copper, lumber and botanical items. College led her away from art toward law school and successful careers in business, law, accounting and commercial real estate. When her two boys matured into young men pursuing their own life paths, a spark, or perhaps a fire, rekindled a desire to dive back into the joyous world of art.
“Mid-century modern meets Georgian traditionalist best describes the influences for my art,” Deitch says. “As a child, I lived and played within enormous pieces of artwork: mid-century modern homes with natural light from walls of glass and open spaces. Then modern married traditional, resulting in my continually evolving style of art. Although I enjoy all art mediums, I have a soft spot for the creamy texture and fresh, rich colors of oil paint.”
Deitch is a member of the Hamilton County Artists’ Association, the Hoosier Salon, the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association and the American Impressionist Society. She now works exclusively in oils and has studied with numerous regional and national artists.
“Painting is like putting together a puzzle, except the pieces and the end result are part of the puzzle I create,” Deitch says. “Sometimes the painting takes on a life of its own and the final result even surprises me.”
View Deitch’s artwork May 4-31 in the Stephenson House during regular business hours. Learn more about her at shawndeitch.com and shawndeitchpaintings.com.
