Mixed Media
Diane J McGarel
Artist
Statement
I have always admired artists such as Henri Matisse and Chuck Close who have used their disadvantages as an advantage.
Case in point, towards the end of Matisse's life, he couldn't paint anymore. It was then he developed his Cut-out Series so he could express himself artistically. Another artist that I admire is Chuck Close who suffered a stroke in his mid fifties. Instead of giving up, he found a way to create art in spite of his physical disabilities that were caused by the stroke.
Recently, I heard about the artist Phil Hansen, who gave the talk at the TED conference, entitled, 'Embracing the Shake." Hansen developed a shake in his drawing hand, which limited his way of creating art, but opened his mind to think of art differently. He created different styles and mediums of art.
This is what all these three artists have in common. When faced with adversity, each artist accepted their limitations and also embraced, adapted and enhanced their creativity. They made their weakness their strength. They found a way to share their creativity with the world in spite of their limitations.
Acrylic painting
Sized: 16 x 20 inches on stretched canvas
Completed 2022
at the
Edge Coffee Shop
MAY 2025
The Edge Coffee Shop is open 7a to 4p Monday and from Tuesday to Friday, 7a to 2p
1366 Main Street, Crete, IL 60417
During the month of May in 2025
art by Diane McGarel was for sale at the Edge Coffee Shop in Crete, IL
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Click HERE to see the art that was shown
three art pieces were sold
Click HERE to see the artwork
ART Shows
at the Edge Coffee Shop, 2025
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Union Street Gallery Parallel Visions Art Show, 2023
Union Street Gallery Invitational Artists Show, 2021
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Crete Creative Gallery, 4th Annual Regional Show, 2021
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Love creating!!
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Arts helps me explore and interprete the world around me.
As an artist, my objective is not to reproduce exactly what is but to produce what can be.
Diane McGarel, Artist
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Create Art That Heals
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Art classes are available upon request. Email dmcga456@gmail.com to schedule a class at the Union Street Gallery's location, in Chicago Heights, IL.
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Diane, from 2023 to 2025 has held workshops/ classes at Union Street Gallery, Trinity Church, Crete UMC and at the Flossmoor Public Library.
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Bio
&
Resume
Awards:
2014 Honorable Mention Explosive Impressions Juried Exhibition
2013 Second Place All About Color, Juried Exhibiton
2009 Honorable Mention Governors State University Students’ Exhibition
2007 Honorable Mention Illiana Artists’ 11th Juried Regional Exhibition
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Instructor
2024 Meditate to Create, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL
2023 Art that Heals Workshops, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL
2023 Creating Art that Heals Workshop, Crete UMC, Crete, IL
2023 Creating Art that Heals Workshop/ Book Signing, Trinity Church, Monee, IL
2018 Return to the Edge, Solo Exhibition, Edge Coffee Shop, Crete, IL
2016 Coloring to Hear, Two Hour Workshop. Crete United Methodist Church, Crete, IL
2016 Coloring Class, Two week course, Flossmoor Public Library, IL
2015 Mixed Media Techniques, Six week course, Flossmoor Library, IL
2015 Mixed Media, Two week course, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL
Selected Art Shows and Exhibitions:
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2025 At the Edge Coffee Shop, 1366 Main Street, Crete, IL 60466
2025 Group USG Artists Guild Show, Crete, IL 60417
2024 Annual Studio and Guild Art Show, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL
2023 The Edge Coffee Shop, Crete, IL 60411
2023 Virtuosity in Unity, Guild & Studio Artists, Union Street Gallery, IL 60411
2022 6th Annual Showcase, Crete Creative Gallery, IL 60417
2022 TA-DA. Tall Grass Arts Gallery, Park Forest, IL 60466
2022 Parallel Visions, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL 60411
2021 Reunion Show. Tall Grass Gallery. Park Forest, IL 60466
2021 Union Street Gallery's Artists Invitational, Chciago Hts. IL
2021 Edge Coffee Shop, Crete, IL
2021 4th Annual Regional Show. Crete Creative Gallery, Crete, IL
2019 The Sky the Limit, Tall Grass Gallery, Park Forest, IL
Juror: Richard Schmidt, Claudia Craemer, Deborah Craemer.
2019 Reginal Artists Exhibition, Union Street Gallery, Chicago Heights, IL
2018 Returning to the Edge, Solo Exhibition, The Edge Coffee Shop, Crete, IL.,
Sold 3 Pieces
2016 At the Edge. Solo Exhibition, The Edge Coffee Shop, Crete, IL.,
Sold 33 Pieces
2014 Explosive Impressions. Tall Grass Arts Gallery, IL
Entree entitled: Just Because awarded Honorable Mention
2014 Connections, Pop-Up Gallery, Main Street, Park Forest, IL
2014 Union Street Show. White Ripple Gallery, Hammond, IN
2013 All About Color. Arterie Fine Arts. Naperville, IL
Entree Earthbound award second place
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- view the art shows by clicking the underlined text -
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