About the Artist
Diane Cannella St. Germain, LWS-M
Photo by Dobbins Photography
BIO of ARTIST:
Diane was born in New Orleans, LA and received her B.A. in Elementary Education from St. Mary's Dominican College in NOLA in 1969. In the 1990s, Diane did two years of post graduate studies in art education at UNO and Southern of N.O.
For over 40 years. Diane has been an active member of the Louisiana Watercolor Society eventually earning her Signature Membership and Master level in watercolor…LWS-M. The 5 day workshops offered each year by LWS and other art leagues, near her home and around the country, have given her and so many the opportunities to learn from great master artists such as Milford Zornes, Alvaro Castagnet, John Salminen, Jeanne Dobie, Don Andrews, John Salminen, Mary Whyte, Sterling Edwards, and Andy Evansen to name just a few.
Diane still continues to teach, not in classrooms or workshops, but through her free tutorials offered on her YouTube channel. Link is on HOME PAGE.
ART STATEMENT:
Art, for Diane, is the gift that continues giving joy to her life. She sees it as a calling to use her God-given gifts and to share what she has learned with others about a seeing with the eyes of an artist.
For most of her life, she responded to that calling by exploring every paint medium, even printmaking and collage. Then she discovered watercolor. At first, it was a wild and uncontrollable medium; but, there was a captivating beauty of the water-charged pigments in the brush to mix on their own on the paper without being over-mixed or over-controlled.
With the help of many workshops with master watercolor instructors, she began to learn when to be in control of it and when and how to "let go" to allow the pigments to mix together in a more spontaneous and luminous way. It has been a lifelong quest to master watercolor; but, she can honestly say that she has learned most about being a watercolorist by painting with that medium each day of my life. And she often learns more from her failed paintings than her successful ones. Art mimics life for Diane.
MAJOR AWARDS:
May of 2025: Diane’s painting, “The Coppersmith”, juried into the 55th LWS International Exhibit by master artist David R. Smith. This is Diane's 12th International Exhibit to have a watercolor of hers accepted by the master juror.
May of 2024: Diane’s painting, “Past Remembered”, juried into the 54th LWS International Exhibit by master artist Kathleen Giles. Her painting also received the Merit Award.
May 13, 2023: Diane earns her LWS-M, Master Status, at the 53rd LWS International Exhibit held in NOLA. To achieve this high honor, Diane had 10 of her watercolor paintings juried in 10 of the LWS International Exhibits held once a year in New Orleans.
December of 2022: Diane earns Best of Show for her painting, “The Jazz Man”, in the LWS Winter Member Exhibit held at Christwood in Covington.
March of 2021: Diane is a winner of the "Art Contest for the Year of the Eucharist" promoted by the Archdiocese of N. O.
December 2020: Best of Show for painting, "Marsh at Northshore Beach", LWS Winter Member Exhibit
August, 2019: "The Puzzle Maker" accepted into The Summer Show: A Nationally Juried Exhibition
December, 2017: Best of Show for painting, "The Court Runner, LWS Winter Member Exhibit
May, 2008: Diane earns Best of Show and Signature Membership in the 38th Louisiana Watercolor Society’s International Exhibit in New Orleans.
Best of Show in the LWS International Exhibit is Diane's highest achievement to date!
At this same International Exhibit, Diane earned her Signature Membership, the honor of using the LWS after her name.
MAJOR EXHIBITS:
March of 2020, “Art of Provence”...Five Artists Exhibit in Covington, LA
April-May of 2018: "Women of Watercolor" …Diane chosen to be one of four LWS artists exhibit at Christwood in Covington, LA
Sept. -December, 2012: Paul and Lulu Hilliard University of Art Museum, Lafayette, LA: “Aquarellistes: LA Watercolorists”
2011 and 2012: Diane's mixed media paintings juried into the Mixed Media Exhibit in Slidell, LA
December, 2009- Jan. 9, 2020: Invitational Show “Language of Flowers”, Garden District Gallery, N.O., LA
Oct. - Nov., 2009: One Woman Show: “Watercolor and Monotype Exhibit”: DuBuisson’s Art Corner, Olde Towne Slidell
MAJOR PUBLICATIONS:
SEPTEMBER OF 2025: Diane's painting entitled, "The Eucharist: The True Presence of Jesus Christ", appears on page 164 in the 9th Grade Catechism of the Series called "Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ" in the Canadian Provinces of Alberta, Ontario and the Northwest Territories...
February, 2009 issue of Watercolor Artist: Named as one of the top watercolor artists of 2008.
