Although the medium of watercolor is often associated with delicate images and soft hues,
this is not true in the case of El Paso, TX artist, Connie Dillman. Explaining her
preference for intense color, she notes, "Life is like a kaleidoscope. What our eye
sees is a sensual feast of patterns and images created by the constant interplay of light
on various subjects. Relationships are the essence of my paintings", Dillman
enthuses. "and it requires bold colors and strong shapes to convey the depth and
range of emotions I am trying to capture.
Loving the female figure, Dillman frequently chooses subjects such as a mother and
child or several women engaged in conversation. Although these are very feminine images,
she portrays them in such a way as to evoke a feeling of warmth without resorting to
sentimentality. Because her images are strong in nature, the artist prefers to work in a
large format, often doing pieces that are 30" x 40" or greater in size.
With each piece, the artist arranges the key elements so that harmony, cohesiveness and
wholeness are depicted. Because Dillman is, by nature, a meditative person, she prefers to
paint quiet scenes as opposed to action. In fact, she often uses the theme of a figure in
repose. "Whether I do several figures, or merely one alone, I always try to create
some type of relationship," she explains. "It is the strength of this bonding
that gives power and dimension to my art. Relationships are a very personal thing, and
they are never stagnant. . Therefore, in order to capture this nebulous quality, I must
open myself to the very subtle interplay of various aspects in each piece. Life itself is
always in flux. In order to respond to the richness of the moment, we have to accept these
changes and adjust accordingly.
Although her images may appear very spontaneous in nature, a great deal of planning
goes into the design of each piece. "Shapes and patterns are very crucial to the
feeling of each image" she explains. Negative space between figures creates a
pattern, and each of these large shapes must be different for the overall effect to work.
I frequently place large shapes against small shapes in order to obtain the necessary
contrast. I also like to repeat shapes and designs in order to ties the piece
together."
Her attention to detail and composition has made Dillman an award-winning artist. In
addition to receiving numerous honors in El Paso regional competitions, Dillman was
awarded "The Best of Show" by the National Watercolor Society for their 1995
competition. She is also a signature member of the American Watercolor Society, National
Watercolor Society, the Pastel Society of America and the Knickerbocker Artists.
