January Artist of the Month
Meet Dina Gardner
When one looks at Dina Gardner’s accomplishments in the art world, it is hard to believe that she began this journey only five years ago. However, she will tell you that when she sets a goal for herself, she has laser-like focus. “I am extremely goal oriented and when I do something, I’m all in. I know when most people think about doing new things, they get into analysis mode, they make pro and con lists. Most people kick the tires and start with a toe in the water, but I jump right in, feet first.” Gardner freely admits that she runs before she walks and that this is who she has always been.
She grew up in Southern California, did her undergraduate work in Journalism in San Diego and started her first recruiting firm by age 25. She ponders, “In hindsight, I loved getting my businesses up and running, creating the vision and putting the policies and procedures in place. I loved training and teaching the business to new recruiters. And after that, I got bored pretty quickly. It was always the ‘blank canvas stage’ in business that excited me the most. I find so many synergies with creating a business and creating a painting. What I love about pastels is that I get immediate results and I have opportunities to create from a blank canvas every single day.
Gardner met her husband while backpacking in Italy and he convinced her to move to Boston. They had two children and while she raised them and worked at building her recruiting firms, she didn’t let life become routine. “My husband and I met traveling and we continue to share that love of adventure. When our kids were growing up, we committed to making travel a significant part of our lives and their lives, to expose them to other cultures and to get off the beaten path. We typically took a month off every year and explored some very unique places. My paintings often reflect places we’ve traveled.” 
Gardner has spent the last twenty years seeking to find her creative voice, trying her hand at pottery, glass blowing as well as some acrylic and oil painting. She even started a rock and roll band and learned to play guitar (in that order!) In 2015, when searching for another creative outlet, a friend convinced her to try pastels. She took a two-day workshop and sparks began to fly immediately. “I came home with a painting that, to this day, may still be one of my favorites.”
Her passion for pastels ignited, Gardner set up her easel and made a commitment to paint every day. “I was consistently waking up at night with ideas that I needed to commit to my canvas. I very often found myself at my easel at 3:00 am. That was when some of the best magic happened. I loved that I could take a blank canvas and make it my own.” She officially retired from recruiting two years ago to focus on her art.
Along with her zeal for painting came another passion, the Pay It Forward Backpack Project. In 2015, touched by the homelessness she regularly observed in Boston, she founded this grassroots organization which provides winter essentials to the homeless. A percentage of each painting she sells helps purchase items for the project.
Since beginning her art journey, Gardner has set a yearly goal for herself. One year she became an artist-in-residence at the Art Association of Nantucket. She is coming full circle this January by teaching ‘Luminous Pastels,’ a four week Zoom course she designed for the Association. Last year’s goal to become a Full Juried Member at the Copley Society of Art in Boston was accomplished and she maintains gallery representation at CoSo as well as Inner Space Fine Art in North Reading. Other memberships include the Pastel Society of America, Central Mass Pastel Society (Signature Status and a founding member), Wellesley Society of Artists and Pastel Painters Society of Cape Cod. This year, Gardner says, “I have tried something new which is to be as goal-less as possible. That doesn’t come naturally to me but I’m taking time to explore new subjects and learn new techniques.”
When asked to do a solo show in Maine, she had an “ah-ha moment.” Gardner says “I had just had hand surgery and I knew I couldn’t paint enough paintings for a solo show. But, I had over 50 paintings that weren’t ready to be tossed out but definitely weren’t ready for prime time. My ah-ha moment came when I realized I had the knowledge to properly critique and improve them. It was so exciting to be at that stage of my art journey where I could make these assessments and changes and that was very liberating for me.”
Gardner has a lot of wisdom to pass on to new painters: “Some of my best learning moments were from my worst paintings. I look to the paintings that don’t work quite right and learn from them. They teach me to observe more closely, to sit back and figure out why something doesn’t work. I also have a rule for workshops which I call the “No Masterpiece Rule.” This reminds me that workshops are for learning new techniques and not for making masterpieces. I think a lot of artists feel pressure to perform in workshops. Once I used the ‘learning lens” philosophy, workshops became much more enjoyable. Another thing that works for me is having very low expectations when submitting work to shows. I know that judging art is very subjective and I don’t get hung up on whether I get in a show or not. I have a very laid-back attitude about it which is probably the California side of my personality coming out.” Gardner also offers these three pearls of wisdom: “The keys to success for me have been having a daily painting practice, observing my subject matter for hours on end and having fun in my studio.”
Currently Gardner is working on pastels of nudes painted on sheet music prepared with gesso. She has been heavily influenced by music and often names her paintings from song lyrics or song titles. Music is part of her painting regimen as well and there is always a great set list playing while she paints. “I have a little dance party in my studio every day. I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend my time.”
Facebook: Dina Gardner Pastel Studio
Instagram: Carpe_Dina
Website: www.DinaGardner.com