Diane May

My name is Diane Michele May and I live in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Both of my parents were originally from Minnesota but, as my dad was a military man, we moved around a lot when I was young. Most of my paintings and drawings showcase Minnesota places and wildlife. They tell stories about locations and things that are important. Important to both me and other people who have been kind enough to share their stories with me.

My body of work covers both the manmade and the natural world. I am sentimental so I tend to paint structures that have been repurposed, technology that has served well for many years, landmarks that are both no longer with us, and those that still endure against time. I value integrity, patience, and hard work both in my life and in my body of art.

It is easy to find the beauty of nature all around us in Minnesota. Deer drink from waters located in both local and State parks, their very presence causing me to slow down and admire their gentle beauty. That same water that reflects the sky and plants on the shore evaporates and comes back down to earth as rain if it’s warm and snow if it’s cold.

I walk a little farther and I see a colorful flower. The flower’s intensity of color draws me in closer and closer. The luscious smell emitted by that same flower attracts pollinators whose symmetrical bodies I both enjoy and admire. Bees, bats, and birds cross-pollinate and, in doing so, give me the food on my plate. This food becomes energy sustaining me to learn more about how nature works together and how I can help keep that balance in place. I then make art to both honor that balance and call attention to it. Again like a gentle spiral, it becomes a story that connects others with me.