The Villages - August 2019 - 10

D IA N E W E E KL E Y
VILLAGE OF PENNECAMP PAINTER
Minnesota native Diane Weekley discovered art
in an unlikely place: biology class.
"I hated it and I was bored, so I drew floor plans
instead," she said. "That got my mind thinking
artistically and I enjoyed interior design."
As an adult, she collected decorating magazines and
occasionally dabbled with paints.
"I painted table tops, children's furniture and then
I learned to create faux finishes," she said. "I'd watch
demonstrations then practice at home on a board."
But child rearing and a career in the
insurance industry left Weekley with little
time for art. Upon retirement, she was
free to paint once again, and to create the
Tuscan kitchen of her dreams.
"When a designer saw it, she asked me
to paint at her house," she said. "Before
I knew it, I had three designers asking for
faux finishes."
Suddenly, Weekley was steeped in a
second career, which lasted nearly
a decade.
"I continued to paint until
I injured my shoulder and
couldn't lift my ladders and
paint cans," Weekley said. That
was the end of that."
In 2009, she moved to The
Villages and picked up her
brush once again.
"I really got into art here and
became active in the clubs," she
said.
"I take workshops and try to learn
from other artists. Sometimes I teach as
well, and that's rewarding," she said."
Inspiration comes from everywhere -
from nature and color and hazy thoughts
in the night.
"Sometimes an idea hits me when I lay

AUGUST 2019

my head on the pillow," she notes.
Like a traveler consulting a map, Weekley relies on
technique as she navigates the watercolor world.
"You start with a plan," she said. "If you fail to plan,
plan to fail. When you've decided what to paint, you
can sketch it out - get your composition. From there,
you choose your colors and techniques. There are tons
you can try to get the desired dimension."
Observing a painting she calls "Paris Memories,"
Weekley describes her process.
"It's more of a collage, and I used surgical
gauze to create patterns," she said. "You can
also drop salt or spritz water onto the paper
for various effects. You can drop colors, let
them flow together then lift the paint in
certain areas to get highlights. When it dries,
you add layers."
Weekley enjoys each step - from concept to creation. Her biggest payoff, however, happens while sharing her work
- eliciting a story or evoking a response.
"At my last show, a woman
saw this piece and had to have it
- her fiancé proposed in Paris
so she wanted it for his wedding gift," she said. "That's
what's neat about art - the
stories, the sharing. You never know who will fall in love
with something you created."
A once humble artist,
Weekley has learned to embrace her gift.
"I used to get embarrassed when people complimented my art," she said.
"But now I realize it's OK.
God gave me a talent and I
should express it."

The Villages - August 2019

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