On View: March 1st – April 15th 2013
Reception: Sunday March 10th 2013, 1:00pm to 4:00pm
STATEMENT
“The inspiration for my art comes from dreams, memories, stories, everyday occurrences and political or environmental concerns. I create my art to be visually interesting as well as intellectually and spiritually provocative. Although the subject matter is diverse, the techniques used in the paintings and drawings serve as a “thread” tying the work together. The symbols in my art represent transitions, conversations with the past, or a search for new growth and promise for the future. The words and numbers in some pieces become part of the design as well as hinting at the narrative. The figure may represent a participant, an observer, a witness, a victim or a survivor, depending on the scenario.
BIO
Michael Diven was born and raised in Utah where his high school art teacher inspired him to seriously pursue art. After high school he moved to Los Angeles, California, to attend art school but instead, surfed and painted for the next few years. He later returned to school, studying art at the University of Nevada and the San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned an MFA degree in painting.
Diven taught painting and drawing for 15 years at several West Coast colleges and universities. He recently moved from Northern California to the Philadelphia area. Michael Diven’s art has been exhibited nationally in major galleries including Triangle Gallery and James Snidle Gallery in San Francisco, CA. Museum shows include San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Seattle Center Art Museum. Art critics have described his art as, “Broad and rewarding,” “Infinitely rich,” and “Bold and captivating.”