Featured Spotlight Artist at the Ohio Governor's Residence

So, I told you something new was on its way, and here it is! Enjoy!

Media Release from the Ohio Arts Council 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio – January 30, 2018

From florals brought to life with oil pastels to recycled-wood animal sculptures covered in multicolored beer caps, the new work featured at the Ohio Governor’s Residence and Heritage Garden demands more than a passing glance.

As part of the newest Spotlight: Featured Artists at the Ohio Governor’s Residence exhibition, the artwork of North Canton artist Diane Belfiglio and John Taylor-Lehman of Zanesville will be displayed at the Residence in Bexley through March. Both artists were selected by First Lady Karen W. Kasich with the assistance of the Ohio Arts Council (OAC).

Belfiglio's vibrant pieces are influenced by her desire to transform the mundane into the extraordinary. Her paintings, oil pastel drawings, and sculptures masterfully use the elements of light, shadow, and geometric composition to highlight architectural and natural beauty.

“When I first saw Diane’s pictures, they were so intricate and so detailed, I thought I was looking at photographs. They are really incredible,” Kasich said. “I love her use of color and the way she plays with the sunlight and shadows. It just really caught my eye.”

Belfiglio said her work incorporates elements of formalism, and added that she carefully considers how her subject’s form and style transfers onto the paper and canvas.

“I am fascinated with sunlight and shadow. Shadows, for me, are as important of a shape as anything else in the piece,” she said. “I am very concerned with all the structure that goes into a piece. I think about my pieces in a very abstract way.”

Currently serving as an assistant professor of art and studio coordinator at Walsh University, Belfiglio also teaches privately through her Belfiglio Art Studio. She said a love of art has always been a part of her family and something she hopes to instill in her students.

“I wouldn’t have been an artist without the support of my family. There was always music playing in the house, there were summer theatre lessons, there were art lessons for me. And my kids grew up that way too,” she said. “If we don’t have art, our souls are pretty empty.”