Art by Diana Dean

03/17/2026

It’s finished.

… if I don’t look at it. The way to do that is to start another painting and look at that one.

The Forest of Nisene Marks
11” X 14”, oil on board

12/27/2025

Still wet! I just completed this highly textured painting. I applied several layers of oil paint with a pallet knife and it will take some time to dry. This is a departure from my usual style and a fun experiment.

11/27/2025

Plan to shop on the Central California Coast this weekend on Small Business Saturday for some local art merch by Elizabeth Williams and Diana Dean. (In our case, it's probably better named "Tiny Business Saturday"!) We will be at the corner of Center Ave and State Par in Aptos with some of our art merch from 11:30 to 4:00 (weather permitting). Also shop for gifts at Frank, and P & D Botanicals around the corner, and the Helpful Shop on Center. Hungry? Well, Manuel's is next door, the new Four Streams Noodles is two doors down, the amazing Castelli's Deli is around the corner, and of course there is always Marianne's Ice Cream right across the street! Once you have filled your belly, walk it off at Seacliff State Beach! We hope to see you Saturday!

11/18/2025

**SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, Nov 29**
I will be setting up again in front of Frank gifts on the corner of Center and State Park near the entrance to Seacliff State Beach. (Weather permitting). Details to come!

10/11/2025

All set up! I’m next to Manuel’s. I just may pop in for a margarita later. Or maybe go across the street for a Marianne’s chocolate milkshake. The other tables here in front of Frank are selling awesome mustard, mayo, ketchup, organic avocados and ceramics. There are food trucks and craft vendors on Broadway a half block away

10/10/2025

It’s almost 3:00 AM, and I just finished prepping merch and display materials for Saturday’s Seacliff Street Fair event. I am not good at cutting mats, but they will have to do! It’s such a production to package prints that I have to do a lot of it on the dining table, fending off curious cats. Therefore, I decided it would be best to mat everything I have, even though I won’t need so many Saturday. WHY did I think that was a good idea??? I’m taking my aching, exhausted body off to bed now. Good night. Hope to see you Saturday!

10/05/2025

This is my most recent painting, which is very different than anything I've done before. I used a only a 3-color palette, and did some wet-on-wet work. Those who know me know that it used to take me months (no exageration) to complete a painting. My perfectionist leanings were (are) a problem! This painting is one that only locals and frequent visitors to the Santa Cruz coast will recognize. There was a day I looked at the ship through the fog and it was so powerful I had to paint it. The storms have been hard on our cement ship, and it has broken up. The pier is gone now, so badly damaged by the 2023 storm that is had to be removed. We all miss it, though. In my case, it's because the pelicans roosted on it year round, and now they only visit.

10/05/2025

Well, I did it. This is my new page dedicated to my painting. My old website is in the process of being redesigned...by me... Meanwhile, the old one still works, and I've updated it with my latest work and schedule, which includes a street fair October 11. Please take a look.

art by oil painter Diana Dean, California