“When I remain open to people, ideas, and my environment, inspiration comes flooding in.” — Diana Madaras
At this point in her acclaimed artistic career, Diana Madaras turns her attention to the force that has animated her work from the beginning: inspiration—that elusive moment when observation becomes possibility, and the ordinary suddenly demands to be painted.
In her new show titled INSPIRATION, Madaras invites viewers into the creative process of an artist whose eye has been sharpened by more than three decades of painting. The exhibition reveals the unexpected moments that can ignite a painting:sunlit steps on the side of a hill, a flower arrangement from her husband, a fellow artist’s painting that inspired her own interpretation of a wolf, or an owl taking flight from the top of a saguaro.
If you are interested in purchasing a painting, please submit a commitment online or call the Gallery (520-615-3001):
"Yellowstone Charter Members" 36 inches x 60 inches | Framed: 38 inches x 62 inches Acrylic on Canvas $15,000
I started with an abstract background, then worked fanciful but recognizable bison into the scene. These guys are the charter members of the territory, here long before humans arrived on the scene.
"Wolf Walking" 24 inches x 30 inches | Framed: 41 inches x 35 inches Acrylic on Canvas $8,000
I love to explore the form of an animal, make it recognizable, then abstract the interior shapes while maintaining the integrity of the original subject. The painting has movement, intrigue, and symbolic significance. The subject was inspired by a fellow artist who paints very realistic wolves.
"The Snow Man" 18 inches x 18 inches | Framed: 25 inches x 26 inches Acrylic on Canvas $3,200
This Yellowstone bison is angry that the snowstorm robbed him of food and a warm place to sleep. My goal was to convey the disposition of the animal as he struggled to survive this cold environment.
"Orbit" 11 inches x 14 inches | Framed: 21 inches x 25 inches Pastel $2,000
I liked this scene so much I painted it again. The first, “Prickly Pear Bloom,” was done in acrylic. This one is pastel. I can achieve intense color with pastel which makes this painting striking and bold. I used a highly-textured sanded paper with lots of “tooth” that allowed for many layers of color adding depth and interest.
"Island in the Sun" 16 inches x 20 inches | Framed: 21 inches x 26 inches Acrylic on Canvas $2,900
This scene is from a small island in the Bahamas named Exuma where our family vacationed for many years. "Island in the Sun" is a popular Bahamian song expressing a man’s love for his island. Palm trees, white sandy beaches, and aquamarine water all conjure thoughts of vacation in paradise.
"Rocks in Sabino" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 20 inches x 26 inches Acrylic on Canvas $2,800
Sabino Canyon is a true oasis in the heart of the dry, dusty Sonoran desert. A stream of fresh water flows over and around massive boulders after the snow melts on Mount Lemmon and the rainy season begins. This painting celebrates the rocks, water, reflections, and flora of this wonder of nature located just a stone's throw from Tucson civilization.
"Messy Pink Flower" 9 inches x 12 inches | Framed: 15 inches x 19 inches Acrylic on Canvas $1,500
This is the 5th painting in the “Messy” series where I played with floral shapes to combine realism with abstraction. The loose, fun interpretation injects energy and emotion into the painting. This scene was created mostly with a pallet knife.
"Steps to #3" 8 inches x 10 inches | Framed: 15 inches x 17 inches Acrylic on Canvas $1,200
Ventana Canyon’s Mountain Course features one of the most scenic golf holes in the United States. These steps lead to the black tees and a world class panoramic view of the Catalina Mountains.
"Sedona Creek" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 21 inches x 24 inches Acrylic on Canvas $2,800
Arizona is rife with spectacular scenery, and Sedona is no exception. This fanciful depiction of Cathedral Rock is my interpretation of how I felt when I saw the creek meander through the colorful scene towards the stunning rock formations.
"Marilyn" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 18 inches x 23 inches Acrylic on Canvas $2,200
This painting began as a still life of sunflowers which is one of my favorite floral subjects. I found the pot interesting, as well as the positioning of the sunflowers. By the time this piece was finished, it was reminiscent of a beautiful voluptuous woman looking down from the top of her hat.
"Sunset in the Desert" 12 inches x 9 inches | Framed: 22 inches x 19 inches Pastel $2,000
Thanks to friend and photographer Steve Lunn for capturing an amazing Tucson sunset from his vantage point high above Ventana Canyon. I love the layers of clouds and varied array of colors from the top of the sky to the bottom of the mountains. Using pastel was the perfect medium to create the texture and drama of the scene.
"Saguaro Owl" 24 inches x 18 inches | Framed: 30 inches x 40 inches Pastel $3,500
Thanks to photographer Rob Boone for this amazing reference photo that captured an owl during the moment after he took flight. The many patterns and shades of brown in his feathers were the perfect complement to an ultramarine blue sky.
"Mum's the Word" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 23 inches x 27 inches Pastel $3,200
I started this painting with pan pastels which gave the background a soft, dreamy feel. A combination of hard and soft pastels was used to create the sharp edges of the featured flower in the foreground bringing the mum to life.
"Flowers from Phil" 20 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 27 inches x 31 inches Pastel $3,400
My romantic husband often brings home beautiful bouquets of flowers. They provide great painting inspiration, especially sunflowers. I am in love with the pure blue pigments that pastel affords, and always like the contrast between vivid blue and intense yellow.
"Ricky and Lucy" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 25 inches x 29 inches Pastel $3,400
This painting, named for the famous comedic couple, makes me smile as if these two burros were also comedians. Thanks to friend Dan Kalm who encouraged me to paint these two wild and crazy burrows. He took the photo near Columbus, Texas. I love the expressions of the burros as they contemplate doing some mischief.
"Stormy" 20 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 28 inches x 32 inches Watercolor and Pastel $3,400
The skies in Arizona have a certain look when the monsoons are imminent. They are moody and layered with interesting clouds. This painting is an example of abstract realism which is one of my favorite ways to paint--starting with a realistic subject, then move towards pure creation. I like to let the painting take me wherever it will. I’m not interested in copying a scene in a photorealistic way but rather creating something never seen before, as I express my feelings about the subject.
"Kitties in the Plant Room" 16 inches x 12 inches | Framed: 22 inches x 26 inches Pastel $2,200
My neighbor Maya has two large dogs, but when two orphaned kitties showed up and needed a home, she took them in, as well. She forfeited her plant room to provide a safe haven where the kittens could escape from the rambunctious dogs.
"Toto" 12 inches x 9 inches | Framed: 19 inches x 22 inches Pastel $2,000
When the Reid Park Zoo opened the squirrel monkey exhibit, they offered Toto a place to live. Toto was illegally held in captivity during his youth and had no socialization with other monkeys. He was ostracized in the exhibit until he “learned his manners.” This painting reflects some of the difficulties Toto experienced while adjusting to the new social order.
"Island Shack" 12 inches x 9 inches | Framed: 19 inches x 23 inches Pastel $1,500
Believe it or not, this painting began as a forest landscape. I didn't like the way it was progressing, so I began experimenting with 20 different shades of blue and green pastels. As I laid down the color, a tropical scene began to emerge with palm trees, water, and a beach. I then added some additional structure to the rickety building. It’s quite abstract, but one can still visualize a little shack on a sandy, out-island beach.
"Half Moon" 20 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 28 inches x 32 inches Pastel $3,200
I am a cubist at heart because I love to paint blocky, geometric shapes. I also love to paint the desert. Combine the two and voila-- a cubist desert scene, both abstract and recognizable, at once. As I painted, spherical shapes began to appear as if sections of the moon were rising from the desert floor. These "happy accidents" often add wonderful, unexpected elements to a painting if the artist is open to "listening to" where the painting takes them.
"The Majestic Ones" 24 inches x 30 inches | Framed: 35 inches x 41 inches Acrylic on Canvas $7,500
I took this photo reference at White Stallion Ranch looking west towards Sombrero Peak and Panther Peak. Two huge saguaros framed the scene as the desert vegetation receded towards the mountains. I was captivated by the way the saguaros drew the eye down the path. The two mighty saguaros in the foreground conjured images of sentinels guarding the desert beyond.
"Grammy's African Violets" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 23 inches x 27 inches Pastel $1,800
This painting is a tribute to my late grandmother, Ethel Lott, who lived an hour from my hometown, Toms River, NJ. Each summer she would host the cousins in her tiny two-story home in Roselle. I always stayed in the “plant room” and remember the sunny window and the lineup of African violet plants on the sill with their delicate, pink flowers and leaves soft like velvet.
"Desert Hike II" 24 inches x 30 inches | Framed: 35 inches x 41 inches Acrylic on Canvas $7,500
Whenever I need inspiration, I take my camera into the desert. Although I’ve painted saguaros and other desert vegetation many times, the majestic scenery never grows old. When I look closely, I see colors ranging from deep indigo and gray-green to cobalt, lavender, ochre, and coral. Desert Hike is a contemporary celebration of Arizona’s grandest residents.
"Respite" 16 inches x 20 inches | Framed: 28 inches x 32 inches Acrylic on Canvas $3,500
Located in far north Tucson, this lush garden retreat under a wooden shelter opens onto an expanse of desert with a lavender and blue mountain range in the distance. The painting invites you to walk into the scene, sit on the bench and revel in a quiet moment of respite in a place of contemplation, beauty and discovery.
"Greer Cabin" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 25 inches x 29 inches Pastel $2,800
This year, I spent four months painting in the cool mountains of Pinetop, Arizona. In September, a friend encouraged me to drive 45 minutes to Greer to see the vast yellow carpets of wildflowers that bloomed there after a very rainy summer. The brilliant yellow meadows took my breath away. The rustic cabin I stumbled upon was so paintable—rickety and romantic-- a reminder of a simpler time gone by. I wanted to convey the experience and color of the landscape, rather than documenting it.
"#8 at Night" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 25 inches x 29 inches Pastel $2,200
Set amid the tall pines of Pinetop Lakes Country Club, this scene is about the experience of being there at night when the water is dead still, and twinkling lights peek though the forest. To stand before the majestic ancient pines and the beautiful reflections on the pond is a peaceful and moving experience—a place good for the soul.
"Red Barns" 12 inches x 16 inches | Framed: 25 inches x 29 inches Pastel $2,800
Set in the high country of Greer, Arizona, this cluster of barns is nestled beneath the dramatic White Mountains. The yellow field of flowers leading up to the red wood buildings provides brilliant contrast. The white and rose sky gives the sense that changing mountain weather is imminent. These things make Greer memorable—the wildflower meadows, cool mountain air, rustic architecture and expansive skies. A special thanks to friend and photographer Julie Boos for sharing her beautiful reference photo of the scene.
