The Cultural Center is proud to host the works of Ellen Jean Diederich in our newly refreshed second floor gallery. The exhibition runs from July 8 until August 8, 2015.
E
llen Jean Diederich’s Neo-Impressionistic acrylic and watercolor paintings fill the pages of Samson’s Gift with color and energy. Currently living in Fargo, North Dakota, Diederich grew up on a farm in Staples, Minnesota, where she especially enjoyed working with animals. A graduate of Minnesota State University-Moorhead with a B.F.A. in Fine Arts and a B.A. in Art Education, Ellen’s work has won numerous awards at national juried exhibitions.
The Samson’s Gift gallery exhibit has already traveled around North Dakota including exhibitions in Bismarck, Minot, and Fargo. Becky Dunham, Curator of the Plains Art Museum in Fargo, ND, commented on the exhibition saying, “Diederich’s new series of paintings for Samson’s Gift is an excellent educational tool about painting with water-based media such as watercolor and acrylic. Her bring color palette and loose brushstrokes coupled with her strong emphasis on figural and animal imagery appeal to audiences of all ages and backgrounds, especially children. Through the interweaving device of a narrative, in this case a story about self-sacrifice, Diederich lures her audience into closely examining each of her paintings, allowing them to further explore her techniques and use of formal qualities such as line, color and pattern.”
Ellen enjoys painting a wide variety of subjects drawn from her diverse life experience. Her favorite subjects are flowers, architecture and domestic animals. It was through her series of sheep paintings that she came up with Samson’s story. She also wrote and illustrated two earlier books, Where’s Petunia?, a children’s story that won the coveted Ben Franklin Gold Medal for Best First Book Fiction, and Progressive Painting – Your Creative Journey, an instructional and motivational guide popular with both beginning and professional artists.
Her continuous experience with drawing, painting, and publishing her paintings, note cards, Christmas cards, giclée reproductions, and marketing has made Samson’s Gift possible.
Please visit the Cultural Center between July 8th – August 8th to view the Samson’s Gift Gallery Exhibition in our second floor gallery. Ellen’s beautiful books and note cards will also be for sale in our Gift Store during this time.
All are invited to an Artist Reception at the Cultural Center on Saturday, August 1st from 6-8 p.m. for an opportunity to meet Ellen, view her work, enjoy light refreshments, and the chance to purchase your own signed copy of Samson’s Gift. The gallery exhibit and reception are free of charge.
