Diana Hartman Bio

Having started to draw at an early age, my focus was always on portraits, focusing on the character and expressions in my subjects. I am a self taught artist, and have spent much time sketching and drawing animals and people.
My current series of portraits is of musician. The lives of many blues musicians inspired the work, as well as the history of music and how blues has influenced many musicians. Recently I was also commissioned to do a poster for an outdoor music festival, where I portrayed Robert Johnson, one of the most influential blues musicians known.
Currently I am a member of the Sunnyvale Art club, where I have won a number of awards in their monthly competitions. My art work also includes a few murals, one of which was featured in the Berkeley Daily Planet. This mural was commissioned during Barak Obama's presidential campaign, and can bee seen at http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2008-10-16/article/31338?headli.... Currently an extended collection of my animal series is on display at the Bean Scene in Sunnyvale, for the months of September and August.
Some of my favorite artists include Francis Bacon and Sabien Bruni. Bacon has always inspired me with his revolutionary way of painting people, to create startling portraits. Bruni, in turn uses bright colors that bring her pieces to life. In my work I also try to inject color into my work to give my subjects character and personality.
Please contact me if you are interested in any of my pieces, or would like to discuss commission work:
(408) 338-7769 or diana.hartman.art@gmail.com