diana garff gardiner

Diana Garff Gardiner was born in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952. Her interest in art started very early and in junior high school Diana acknowledged that she longed to be an artist. High school offered an unusual environment for her growth under the instruction of Harold Petersen and the work she produced during those years earned her the a four year scholarship at the University of Utah.

Diana pursued her interest in drawing and painting with a special emphasis in oil and portraiture. She was directly influenced by artist Alvin Gittins, who personally invited her to attend a select class of eight graduate and advanced painting students for the purpose of perfecting their skills in portrait painting. She graduated with a B.F.A. from the University of Utah in 1974. In 1991 Diana entered her post-graduate work at the University of Utah with Paul Davis, George Dibble, and Ed Maryon. Watercolor and charcoal became her primary mediums. Her emphasis remained in drawing and painting but this work represented a major departure from her previous experience as an artist. She committed herself to an exploration of new ideas that would bridge the gap between her life and her art. She received her M.F.A. in June of 1993.