Portrait of success

Artists works "breathe".

Mrs. Dianne Dillingham-Noggle describes herself as a "self-professed portrait artist always looked for the next challenge to paint."  She said several years ago she set a goal for herself to become a technically precision-oriented portrait artist.

A native of Jackson, Miss. she attended college in Alabama to become a teacher.  She graduated with a bachelor of science degree in art with a minor in psychology from Troy University in Troy, Ala.

She completed two years of private art studies in the studio of Marjorie Edwards, a portrait artist of London, England.

She also studied at the University of Central Arkansas.

She taught school from 17 years throughout Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas, including Conway, Enola and Morrilton. 

She set up an art studio adjacent to her home.  Mrs. Dillingham-Noggle utilizes North light, making it ideal for either models or photographic subjects.

She said she prefers to draw from a model, although that is rarely possible.  "I try to assemble more than one photograph of the subject that I am planning to draw," she explained in a written statement.  "I spend time studying and measuring proportions in the photographs that I am using as a reference."

"Following this study time, I will make my initial sketch in pencil, taking from two to three hours," she continues.  "I will wait until the next day to review the drawing.  Next, I will let the drawing sit for about two days and then I will assess it again.  Always, I try to make sure that the portrait has the exact proportions and measurements as the photograph I am referring to."

She currently works on commission, specializing in portraits.  Mrs. Dillingham-Noggle said she has often been told that "my portraits look like they could actually breath."

Mrs. Dillingham-Noggle is a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists, Portrait Society of America, the New York Society of Portrait Artists and the Arkansas Artists' Registry.

Mrs. Dillingham-Noggle and her husband, Lanny, have two grown up sons, Brandon and Hunter.

This article was reproduced with kind permission of; The Log Cabin Democrat, Carol Rolf (author) and featuring a photo by Mike Kemp.