About Diane
Art is the lens through which I’ve always experienced life. If my paintings have a purpose, it is to distill hidden, passing moments into something tangible. I want you to feel Maui radiating from the canvas: the heavy warmth of the sun, the gentle breezes, and the brisk trade winds.
Whether the scene is a sentinel tree standing watch on a lonely stretch of sand, a beach alive with movement, or the vibrantly lit surface of clouds at sunset, the intention is the same. Whatever the locale, on the best of days, these images will stir up unexpected feelings and thoughts, serving as an invitation to step into my world and experience a singular sense of time and place.
As a painter, my practice shifts between the studio and plein air painting, which has honed my technique through direct, critical visualization of the world around me.
My artistic journey began at home, guided by a family of creators. I was mentored by my uncle, the accomplished artist Nicholas Zrolka, and deeply influenced by my mother, Elinor Fedorchak, and grandmother, Mary Zrolka. They taught me the traditional art of Pysanky (Ukrainian Easter egg decorating) before I can even remember; I held a hot wax kistka well before I learned to use a pencil. It was mesmerizing to watch my grandmother's hands, which trembled with age, become flawlessly steady when working on those delicate eggs.
Raised on a mink farm in Northern Michigan, my creative spirit was nurtured by nature and necessity. Winters were dedicated to making art, while the rest of the year was spent raising pet minks and constructing a sprawling network of secret treehouses across our property—the perfect creative escapes from farm chores.
PHILOSOPHY
"I don't paint what I see.
I paint what I feel."
Every painting begins with an emotional truth, a quality of light, a feeling of place,
and a memory. The technical craft serves that truth.
When the two align, something real happens on the canvas.