Tidepooling (Elk Bay, USVI), watercolor monotype, 30.25” x 22.5”
OPENING RECEPTION with the artist | Friday, July 24th from 5-7pm
This exhibition presents a collection of monotypes and ink drawings inspired by close observation of dynamic rocky intertidal zones. Through her work, Diane explores the shifting patterns of luminous water revealed by incoming and outgoing tides. These ephemeral watermarks are grounded in the distinctive character of each rocky coastline. Throughout the exhibition, the untouched white of the paper becomes an essential element, defining the structure and movement of the water.
Inspired by the shorelines of Ireland, St. John (USVI), Maine, Cape Cod, and Halibut Point, these works emerge from long walks along the coast through changing tides and weather. Drawn to a landscape in constant transformation, Diane captures moments of emergence, rhythm, and renewal, revealing the ever-changing energy of the sea.
ON WATERCOLOR MONOTYPE
Watercolor monotype is a painterly printmaking technique that combines the fluid, expressive qualities of watercolor with the precision of layered plate printing. Unlike traditional watercolor painting on paper, the artist paints directly onto a printing plate. Because the paint is not absorbed into the surface, it remains more fluid as it is applied and dries with a distinctive appearance.
Once the painted plate is completely dry, it is printed onto damp paper using an etching press, transferring the image in reverse. Multiple dry plates can be printed in succession onto the same sheet, allowing transparent colors to overlap and rich, dark values to develop through layering.
Diane embraces the indirect process of this technique to complement her direct ink drawing. She typically uses three to five plates to create each monotype. While the underlying image may be revisited throughout a series, every monotype is a unique, one-of-a-kind work of art.
BIO
Diane Charyk Norris is a New England-based landscape painter and printmaker whose work is inspired by natural places shaped by dynamic forces, elemental structures, shifting light, and flowing movement. Working in watercolor, monotype, acrylics, inks, and charcoal, she explores the energy and rhythm of the natural world through expressive mark-making and layered color. Her art is influenced by time spent in coastal New England, as well as by her professional background in architecture. This architectural perspective informs her sensitivity to space and structure, while painting and printmaking offer a more intuitive, immersive relationship with nature.
EXHIBITIONS
Diane’s work is in numerous private and corporate collections and has been featured in various exhibitions including New England Biolabs, Fay Chandler Gallery, Paul Dietrich Gallery, Gladstone, Concord Art, Cambridge Art Association, Mosesian Center for the Arts, Arlington Center for the Arts, Rines Gallery, Bromfield Gallery, and the Danforth Art Museum. In April 2026 she participated in the Brooklyn Fine Art Print Fair with Mixit Print Studio.
EDUCATION
Diane earned degrees in both Painting and Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. After practicing architecture for more than two decades, she returned to painting and continued her studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and in independent work with regional artists. Diane maintains a studio at Miller Street Studios in Somerville, MA and is a partner at Mixit Print Studio. She is currently focusing on multi-plate watercolor monotypes and teaches workshops in the medium.
This is the artist’s third exhibition at Gladstone.