Whether it is the sight of a family building snowmen during the Christmas season, a boy carrying a pair of lambs, or a small girl admiring a flight of butterflies, the joy found in artist Diane Graebner's paintings is contagious. A tiny flame is kindled deep inside the soul, sparked by the familiarity found in the views of everyday life her images portray and before you know it, the smile on your face is as bright and warm as a ray of summer sunshine.

Graebner is best known for prints which depict the lifestyle of the Amish people where Diane lived in Ohio. "As you drive around the Ohio countryside, everywhere you look you see families working together. The children may be picking strawberries or tending the animals while the adults are busy with more difficult tasks. They cause me to recall many special moments in my own family relationships, and these memories are the inspiration for my paintings."

Diane respects the Amish and their wishes, and therefore does not paint their facial features. The Amish belief is that one is to be humble, and not arrogant. Having a likeness of ones self is not being humble in the eyes of God.

For Graebner, inspiration seems to be everywhere. She is especially aware vvhen watching children. "I try to see my envionment through the eyes of a child. For this reason, my subjects are not limited to the Amish. What I am seeking to convey is the innocence and wonder that is associated with childhood. It is the idea of everything being new, fresh and exciting, as if you were seeing it for the first time."

Diane was born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1940 and grew up in Rocky River, Ohio. She graduated from Kent State University, with a bachelors degree in Health and physical education with a minor in art and science. She attended Idraetshojskolen, in Sonderborg Denmark, her junior year in college. After extensive travel by herself throughout Europe, she returned home to marry her high school sweetheart. They spent two years in Alaska while he was in the Army. She now lives in southern Utah. Diane and Ted have two boys, and three grandchildren. The grandchildren have now become an inspiration, and new eyes on the world.

There is a certain something about a Graebner painting that even Diane cannot explain. Some  people describe the feeling of becoming a part of the painting as they look at it. Others call Diane's work as relaxing or renewing. It is the kind of art that most people find comfortable. Graebner paintings add much to their surroundings as a result of Diane's unique talent. A specially commissioned painting by Diane Graebner can be a very worthwhile addition to your home or office. These commissions can be general in nature, or very specific in their subject matter.