dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance

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I Continue To Wake Up—

—and keep observing the world and the times that I live in.

The on-going artist task of choosing what to do next requires thought. After all, producing art takes commitment and mental exercise. If chosen well, what is created may inspire fellow humans to a more benevolent, empathetic, and ethical world. It could happen!

Following are a few examples of profound insight by artists in history:

**Forgotten Man**

“…the Depression woke me up to the fact that I had a part in all this, as an artist.”
*–Maynard Dixon, painter, circa 1934*

**White Angel Breadline**

“You quickly forget yourself in your desire to do something that needs to be done.”
–Dorothea Lange, photographer, circa 1933

**The Downtrodden**

“I am in the world to change the world,”
*Kathe Kollwitz, printmaker, circa 1930-40s*

**Street Scene (Self portrait)**

“Artists are the carriers of history. Artists created the paintings on cave walls…”
*Seitu Jones, community projects, 2016*

**You Have Not Converted A Man**

“William Blake, in ‘Marriage of Heaven and Hell’, said that righteous indignation over injustice was the truest worship of God. I guess I am filled with righteous indignation most of the time…”
*Ben Shahn, social realist, 1960*

**The Third of May 1808**

“The sleep of reason produces monsters…”
*Francisco de Goya, painter, circa 1797*

Holtom was inspired by the outstretched arms of the peasant, in a white shirt, before a firing squad in Goya’s painting (above) at a time when he was in despair about world nuclear armament. The symbol he created became the most powerful, memorable, and adaptable image ever designed for a secular cause. Created for a protest march from London to Aldermaston in 1958, he based it on semaphore signals for “N” (Nuclear) and “D” (Disarmament) enclosed in a circle.

**Nuclear Disarmament Logo original sketches.**

“I’m proud that the symbol has become such a universal sign of hope and peace.”
*Gerald Herbert Holtom, designer, 1958*

**The Cartoon Rejected by The Washington Post**

“The duty of the artist is not to perform for everyone on command. It is to take a stand through their art.”
*Ann Telnaes, political cartoonist, 2025*

**Sharecropper**

“Art for me must…answer a question, or wake somebody up, or give a shove in the right direction–our liberation.”
*Elizabeth Catlett, sculptor, circa 1960s*

**Judith and Her Maidservant**

“I will show your illustrious Lordship what a woman can do.”
*Artemisia Gentileschi, painter, 1600s*

And so, I am embarking on my own series of ‘profound insight’. In 2025 I joined thousands in four different protests of “No Kings” and “Hands Off” against authoritarianism, immigration brutality, executive overreach, and in defense of democracy. Looking through the photos I took while at those protests I was emotionally touched by the determination in faces and accompanying statements of my fellow humans. More powerful than simply pretty smiling faces (although those have their place too) I have begun to explore my insights through the following portraiture.

**Protect Our Public Schools** and **The U.S. Army Founded To Defend Immigrants From A Mad King**
*Preliminary sketches.*

**I Am America** and **The Patriot**
*Preliminary sketches.*

**We Are Workers! Not Criminals!** and **Free Dylan, Kidnapped By I.C.E.**
*Preliminary sketches.*

**Hands Off My Future** and **Recognizing A Nation In Extreme Danger**
*Preliminary sketches.*

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | January 26, 2026 | Categories: Art With A Social Conscience, Social Conscience Art, Uncategorized | Tags: Ann Telnaes, Artemisia Gentileschi, artists, Ben Shahn, Dorothea Lange, e pluribus unum, Elizabeth Catlett, Francisco de Goya, Gerald Herbert Holtom, injustice, Kathe Kollwitz, Maynard Dixon, observing the world, protesting, responsibility, Seitu Jones, social conscience, starting an art project, we the people | Leave a comment

The Value of Recognition

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American philosopher. Yep. I think he was onto something there. And my experience is that an official, ritual, red-light, full-screen, pat on the back is the sort of infusion-of-enthusiasm that assists greatly in the self-generated creativity that lies ahead.

April 24, 2025

This photo is of the awards ceremony for the 13th International Art Competition of the LDS Church held in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Conference Center Theater. The theme of the competition was “Lift Up The Hands That Hang Down”. My piece, “She Leaned In” received a purchase award. Today I am pondering, “where do I go from here?” Art On!!!

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | April 25, 2025 | Categories: Art Adventures | Tags: 13th international art competition, a pat on the back, art competitions, compassion, empathy, enthusiasm, oil painting, purchase prize, rituals, scenes in a diner, the superpower of women | Leave a comment

Legacy Stuff

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on;” —Shakespeare.

At this time of my life a lot of STUFF has accumulated in the studio. It’s a cozy environment to work in. But sometimes I feel the need to ‘clean out’ and ‘organize’–which always tempts me to wonder what it would be like to have a personal librarian, executive secretary, curator, accountant, and housekeeper for my STUFF. It is very satisfying to sell a piece of work. I am grateful to and for every collector of my art! And then, sometimes, a magical thing happens: some of my art becomes a LEGACY. A painting or a book I have illustrated goes into a permanent collection by an institution that has all of those librarians, secretaries, curators, accountants, and housekeeping designed specifically to preserve art and books. Just two days ago that happened again.

*The 13th International Art Competition exhibit at the LDS Church History Museum in Salt Lake City, Utah will have its opening reception on April 24, 2025.*

“She Leaned In” is the title of this piece (above). It is an 18 x 24 inch oil painting on a wooden panel. It was juried into the 13th International Art Competition at the LDS Church History Museum and received a purchase award. That means that an idea of compassion that I executed will be cared for by experts and every once in a while will come out of the basement or attic to be put on display for a wider public. How cool is that???!!! I feel a kinship with Michelangelo and Da Vinci, lol!

There have been a few others. This one (above) is titled “IMAX in Real Time”. Also an oil painting, 18 x 24 inches on board, this is a nod to honoring the world we are privileged to live in. It was purchased by the St. George Museum of Art in their National Parks II juried show in 2016. Aah, it’s a relief to know it will be dusted off by professionals and used for a good public purpose.

These two paintings (left) “He Was Just Here”, 8 x 10 inch oil on panel, and (right) “Children Are Watching”, 9 x 12 inch oil on panel, were purchased by the owners of the Bingham Gallery in Mt. Carmel, Utah. The boots are on permanent display in the home that Maynard Dixon built. Again, skilled curators and protectors of the ideas of: 1) honoring an art icon who captured the culture of the west and the distress of The Great Depression and 2) reminding us to behave and have compassion for marginalized groups–because children are watching.

Today I am feeling some peace that a few bits of good purpose LEGACY are being preserved and that the disposition of some of my STUFF has freed up space in the studio.

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | March 14, 2025 | Categories: Art Adventures | Tags: art, binghamgallery, goodpurpose, ldschurchmuseum, legacy, oil painting, stgeorgeartmuseum, stuff, thunderbirdfoundation | Leave a comment

Before I Die

A little humor here–to soften the direct title of this post. These are my eyes in a self-portrait that started as a blind contour drawing and exploded with color and texture from there. But they seem to match the introspection that follows.

Before I Die–what do I want to get done?

Thirteen years after my first blog post on this site I am revisiting my unfinished projects and my original mission possibility: that I would NOT be too busy, too shy, too tired to engage and share my art life with others.

There are the PAINTINGS:

Two trains of thought pass through my art brain: Representational and Stylized. So many unfinished!

And the SKETCHES:

For me, there is pure pleasure in scratching a pen or pencil across paper and watching the image appear. The list of people, things, and places I’d like to explore with a drawing just keeps growing.

And then THE STORIES:

Storyboards and color sketches WAITING for a follow-through.

And finished pieces WAITING for a follow-through. Do you think these ideas and visuals are looking back at me and asking: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? It would be a shame to NOT finish these products of my heart and mind and be able to share a complete IDEA. As I move ahead I will keep you posted. Good luck with YOUR bucket-list. Art On!!!

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | March 8, 2025 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: before I die, bucket list, continuingartadventure, ideas, nevertoobusy, nevertooshy, nevertootired, stories, storytelling, visualart | Leave a comment

There Are Angels Among Us

“We live our short spans in the vortex of a miracle, and while we may not be the center of that vortex, it is magic to be anywhere in there.” —Robert Genn, Canadian artist

There are pivotal humans who have inspired me. Certainly my family and friends–but, also people I have never met. Robert Genn (author of the above quote) produced a bi-weekly newsletter for and about artists called ‘The Painter’s Keys’ that consistently infused me with the juice to continue in the vortex of art and ideas. In 2020 I began to paint portraits of some of those “Angels Among Us”:

“I think anything is possible if it’s done in the spirit of love and empathy.”—Jonathan Michael Batiste, a musician. During the difficulties of 2020’s Covid Pandemic he and his band, appropriately named ‘Stay Human’, gave impromptu street performances, always looking for ways to connect with people. For years his dexterity at the piano has filled me with awe and his cheerful countenance exudes a sweetness that is refreshing.

“I promise to use what brains I have to meet problems with intelligence and courage.” —Frances Perkins, United States Secretary of Labor. The first female to serve in a presidential cabinet and also the longest serving in the position of Labor Secretary. She was an American workers-rights advocate. Her work led to the Social Security Act of 1935, for which, I, as a senior citizen will always be grateful.

“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” —Amanda Gorman, poet. This quote is from a poem she wrote titled, “The Hill We Climb” and delivered at the Presidential Inauguration in 2021. She was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate. As I listened to her speak her words on that day in January, I was inspired to “see and be light” in the world.

I have other “Angels Among Us” that are waiting for the paintbrush finale and I will share as I go along. Why animals or parts of animals (wings) in the portraits? They have become, for me, symbols of fragile strength and beautiful diversity–reinforcing the qualities of those “Angels Among Us”. Besides, it says something about the character of a person when we are kind to animals–as we are to be kind to other humans.

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | February 21, 2025 | Categories: Art and Words | Tags: amanda gorman, angels, art, courage, empathy, frances perkins, humanity, inspiration, jon batiste, light within, love, miracles, oil painting, portraits, Robert Genn, words | 2 Comments

Image

The Art of a Graphic Novel

It started with a phone call. A woman’s Hungarian accented voice said, “I have looked at your Instagram account and I like the spirit of your sketches. Would you be interested in doing a graphic novel of my story?” That is the gist of her request somewhere in 2017. Having never done a graphic novel before, but having a background in magazine design, I said, “send me your story and I’ll take a look at it.” When we look back over our lives I’m guessing that you, like I, wonder at the crossroads that send us off into unknown directions–hence, ‘roads less traveled’. After reading her story I said, “yes,” and entered the world of World War II and the Holocaust. Not a pleasant place to be, but I was attracted to the author’s purpose in educating others about the devastating consequences of hate and prejudice. In April of 2023 “Hidden” a true story by Kati Preston and illustrated by Dilleen Marsh was published. In 2024 “Hidden” was selected for The Children’s Book Council’s Best of Lists for Teachers and Librarians. There’s something very satisfying about being part of a ‘good purpose’.

The Process. Where to begin?

DOODLE!!! Actually these little sketches are called thumbnails–because of their size. They range in size from 1 to 1 1/2 inches per page. The small size gave me a useful overview of visual ‘pacing’ in the story. Like a camera zooming in and out, placing small images and large images in an arrangement to keep the reader engaged.

The author, Kati Preston, had some surviving photos to work from.

Thank goodness for the internet! Recreating scenes from World War II, the Holocaust, and Hungary in the 1940s would have required a library of books without it. Searching for specific scenes was made much simpler by asking my search engine detailed questions. I did a lot of printing of photos to draw from. AND I drew resources from my own photos and the generosity of family and friends modeling scenes for me.

Then full-size sketches on tracing paper–making it easier for adjustments along the way. How do you lay all the sketches out to see where you’re going? Paper clip the drawings to window blinds, of course!

Yes, artists can work in unusual spaces. One day my very perceptive husband walked by my sketches and suggested I intersperse the pen and ink drawings with some oil painting. Brilliant! I will always be grateful for his suggestion. The final art-work began. I stretched drawing paper on a drawing board and gessoed the parts that I would be oil painting on. The rest of the surface was left for sketching with Pigma Micron black ink pens. To add color to the pen and ink I used Prismacolor pencils over the ink.

It took about 4 1\2 years to accomplish the 90+ pages of art for the graphic novel, Hidden. The covid-pandemic of late 2019 through mid 2022 gave me plenty of seclusion to finish this work. Consider these two quotes: “I’m, I’m simply saying that life, uh…finds a way,” said Dr. Ian Malcolm in the movie, Jurassic Park. “Life breaks free. Life expands to new territories. Painfully, perhaps even dangerously. But life finds a way,” said Michael Crichton in the book, Jurassic Park. And I found a way to be part of this worthy project!

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | June 14, 2024 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: art, art adventure, drawing, graphic novel process, hidden a graphic novel, ink, oil painting, painting, pen and ink, sketching, storytelling, true story | Leave a comment

May the “Art” Force be with you, always… (Blind Scribble Art)

“Your eyes can deceive you; don’t trust them,” said Obi-wan, as he instructed the young Luke Skywalker how to feel the force while having his eyes blindfolded (back in the day of the first Star Wars movie). The other day while instructing a nine-year-old about different mediums in art, I decided to follow Obi-wan’s counsel and start ‘blind’. The project was delightful and instructive, so I wanted to share with all of you the simple instructions:

1. Tape to the table a sheet of good quality paper (like watercolor or heavy drawing paper, I used 9×12 inch).
2. Blindfold the artist.
3. Start with pencil. The blindfolded artist slowly draws a simple scribble on the taped down paper, trying to envision, in the dark, the lines he/she is drawing.
4. Take off the blindfold to continue (and be surprised by what you thought you drew and what you actually drew).
5. Using a variety of mediums (there is watercolor, ink, pencil, and colored pencil in the art above) fill in each enclosed shape in your scribble.
6. Add patterns and/or shade each shape to look 3-D.
7. Look at your entire ‘scribble’. Is it starting to look like something? You may have to turn your paper upsidedown and sideways to see something. Add some lines as needed to push your creation to “be” something: animal, monster, person, machine, etc.
8. Fill in every little and big shape.
9. Then practice your poetry and prose skills and give it a name. The name of my ‘blind scribble’ creation above is: “Man Taking His Pet Pig Bird for a Rousing Run”.

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | January 22, 2018 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Inner Workings of My Soul

” A writer is dear and necessary for us only in the measure in which he reveals to us the inner working of his soul.” –Leo Tolstoi, Russian author, 1800s. When young, while eating breakfast each morning before getting on the school bus, I always had a couple of favorite books handy for entertainment. Cereal boxes only had so much content and this was in the days before digital stimulus. I actually LIKED studying for spelling tests. Something about words: their meanings, sounds, and placement engaged me. Was I a budding writer? The day an English teacher in high school read my fiction story to the class as a quality example sent a flush of excitement through me and planted itself in my memory. But, I didn’t choose writing, I chose art. The writing, however, tagged along. I have a trunk full of journals, several story starts, and then… quote book I started writing captions to go along with the sketches I post each day. This book, “The New Dictionary of Thoughts” has been a faithful companion in that process. It was published in 1936 and contains quotes from “thinkers” prior to that date, of course. I find the language usage elegant. It also helps that the topics of quotes are arranged in alphabetical order. Autumn and Avarice are right next to each other, lol. How cool is that! And one can not simply walk into the Mordor of writing without the research assistance of the Internet. What an astonishing age to live in! Posting on Instagram has helped me keep my musings condensed, valuable to whittling the words down to their essence and essential in a world of short attention spans–myself included. The writing has become as important as the sketch. That was unexpected. When I look for a subject to sketch now, there must be a concept to go with it. Keeps me on the edge of my intellectual seat. When the visual and the writing come together there is that same “flush of excitement” I felt in my English high school class so many years ago. A few more recent and favorite postings follow: Cactus Rock Woman Day 506: BEAUTY or BURDEN? No kidding, standing on a low wall I looked down on some rocks and a desert plant in our yard and from that slightly different perspective I saw this head and shoulder adorned. BEAUTY: Move over Marie Antoinette updo, Marilyn Monroe’s glamour waves, and Princess Leia’s side buns! BURDEN: Or perhaps this is a cactus to bear, an opuntia around the neck, stickers on your back, a prickly conscience. Just a little artistic fantasy to badger the point: BEAUTY (or BURDEN) is in the eye (or heart) of the beholder? William and tiny earthlings Day 520: Traveling the earth tiny Earthlings? I see your excited faces inside that little blimp. Taking a risk to see what’s around the corner? Got toothbrushes and quarters to call home? No, wait! Quarters don’t work anymore. Got your phone chargers? Take lots of pictures! Don’t forget clean underwear and an extra pair of socks! “Rather see the wonders of the world abroad than, living dully sluggardized at home, wear out thy youth with shapeless idleness.”–Shakespeare. Blue pitcher and pears Day 523: Simple food and drink, simply put, is not simple…now. These essentials of life have brewed and bred a world of complexity and memorable quotes: A Dish Fit For The Gods; All You Can Eat; Chow Down; It Is Meate And Drink To Me (Shakespeare again); Let Them Eat Cake (Marie did NOT say this); and the growing harvest of study indicating that YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. (Unless, of course, something is EATING YOU. Think GRABOIDS, “This valley is just one long smorgasbord!” And DINOSAURS, “Let’s get this moveable feast under way!” I digress.) Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may have to count your calories, measure cups of vegetables, ounces of water, and be sugar free. 2016-04-01 23.31.00 Day 593: Oh, the CRAZY things you could find on the Internet today!!! The U.S. Army has NOT discovered how to teleport people. The National Air and Space Museum has NOT begun breeding tribbles. Archaeologists at Vanderbilt University have NOT discovered the skeleton of a 39 foot tall squirrel. The British Milk Council is NOT selling unicorn milk. Sony has NOT developed a slime resistant proton pack. Verizon is NOT connecting your eyeballs directly into your social media accounts. There are NO pizza scented candles, No T-rex line of T-shirts, and No 3D-printed clam chowder. Dang! Happy April Fool’s Day anyway, lol.

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | April 2, 2016 | Categories: Art Adventures | Tags: art, art adventure, art and writing, art project, being a writer, concept, creativity, daily posting, daily sketches, design, illustration, words, writing | Leave a comment

563 DAYS LATER!

On August 18, 2014 our daughter started a two year graduate program at the University of Houston. Texas is a long way from home. I would miss her. “Mmm,” I thought, “while she is away intensively studying, I will advance my art education by taking on some intensive projects myself.” One was to sketch every day. I bought some 6 x 8 inch sketch books and made up some rules to follow. In essence, my own Masters Program. I would sketch ONLY in black ink, ONLY from life, and this effort would ONLY take 30 minutes a day. Bravely I went to the local school bus stop on that August day and commenced drawing. I had talked to two other artists about posting my sketches on Instagram and Facebook each day as a structure to get me to follow through. I posted a blog about this project on October 26, 2014, when I was at sketch #70. I was amazed THEN, that I had followed through for that long. Tonight I will be sketching #564! I am still amazed and the rules I made up have changed.

This is the first (upright) and one of the latest (laying down and with color) sketches. I still sketch from life sometimes, but, also allow myself to use photos now. One day I was sketching in triple digit summer heat. After about a half hour, sweaty hand sticking to the paper and attention distracted by my discomfort, I took a photo to finish the piece from and went home to my studio. That rule change gave me the freedom to go back through all the photos I have taken over the years, with the intention of using them for paintings, and revisit scenes and objects that artistically attracted me but got pushed aside.

I still use black ink to sketch with. Pigma Micron pens, usually 01, 03, 05, and a black fine tip brush for broad areas of black. I enjoy drawing with ink, but I also chose ink because it is a “declarative” medium. You can’t erase it. I will become a BOLDER artist for using it, lol.

I started using COLOR! First to clarify or emphasize something in the sketch. THEN, it became an essential component. I have quite a stash of Prismacolor pencils from earlier art projects. They are my old friends, blending easily into each other. Aside from enhancing the drawing, some of these sketches are becoming preliminary color studies for paintings.

Mistakes can be just a change in design, especially if you have a small pointy brush and a bottle of white opaque paint. Helpful when adding snowfall, wispy hairs, highlights, and obliterating errant pen strokes. These drawings are small, fitting within a 6 x 8 inch area and are usually around 4 x 5 inches. Even though they are small, the 30 minute time limit fell by the wayside a long while ago. My sketches take anywhere from 2 to 4 or more hours a day.

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | March 4, 2016 | Categories: Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Stories just “bustin'” to get out!

THERE comes a time when something you have been thinking about for a long time demands attention. Actually, there are a lot of those “thoughts” that pile up. Which one gets to the top of the pile?! This one did, this week. I have been storyboarding, writing, rewriting, restoryboarding, and on and on, a story about a gal and her ma. They live on a ranch, managing a herd of monsters to keep them “out of folks’ dreams as nightmares”. So, there are always chores to wake up to. The important sub-plot is the mother/daughter relationship. It is a fun puzzle to begin sketching page layouts and design: where to put the type, how to dance around the center spine of the book, how to tell the story on each spread…

THEN the work of “given circumstance” (that’s what they call it in theatre) begins. “Given Circumstances is a principle from Russian theatre practitioner Stanislavski for actor training: what are the conditions of the character’s world, history of the character’s environment, and elements from the character’s personal situation, like, who the heck is Hamlet?!!!

I SPENT some time with the gal character: Delaney Blu. Is she sassy, brassy, big eyed, oozing with certitude and cuteness? Mmmm, perhaps a little quieter confidence, figurin’ things out, obedient not rebellious (there ARE those, lol), still gets into “scrapes”, is a “getter done” kind of gal and yes, cute.

Posted by dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance | April 11, 2015 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

dilleenmarshwomanartistrenaissance The life of a woman artist hitting her stride!