Caricatures by Diane

Hello...I'm Diane.

I was born right here in San Diego county and grew up watching my mother paint Native American portraits and beautiful landscapes! I suppose you could say that I grew up surrounded by canvased faces and the exquisite landscapes of Arizona, Utah, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. From an early age, I remember my mother's works in progress, her tubes of paint, brushes, and easels scattered about our den. I would quietly enter the room when she wasn't there and wonder if I'd ever be able to paint and draw like her. Then as I grew, I did excel in art, just like my mother. It's that inherited attention to detail that makes me stand out.

THAT is what I bring to my Caricatures! THAT is what makes them unique and accurate. I'm not merely a quickly trained cartoonist, I'm an ARTIST with an artist's natural "eye" and heart. And as an artist, I try to capture the likeness first...and then make it funny. Plus, I do it QUICKLY with amazing speed and confidence!

In late 1982 I was working as a pre-school teacher. I always had the BEST bulletin boards and I'd often draw for the children at lunchtime and on breaks. But in the back of my mind I'd wonder about where my life was going. How was it that God would give me such a talent and then not have me do anything with it? I always knew that there was something "more" for me. I'd married young and started a family soon after. Unfortunitly, the "survival game" didn't allow me the luxury of a college education or years of training.

Then, on a cool Southern California December night, my life changed forever. Fate stepped in and dangled a golden opportunity in front of my nose. I met LaVONNA THOMAS KING, the main Caricature artist of Disneyland, while on a random stroll through Disneyland Hotel with my son. (I lived close by and it was free).  Luck would have it we had baby boys the same age and thanks to a slow night at her stand, she and I had the opportunity to talk. That casual conversation ended with her asking me if I'd like to learn how to draw Caricatures! Needless to say, I SAID YES and now I am eternally grateful to her!

As a little girl, I remembered seeing a man drawing funny pictures at the Del Mar Fair and thinking to myself I could do that! I didn't know what he was doing and until I met LaVonna at Disneyland Hotel, I didn't even know what a Caricature was! But I was determined to learn. And learn I did! Then, thanks to an emergency situation at the hotel, I started after less than a month of training.

Since that time so long ago, I have worked at many, MANY venues, parties, conventions and events over the years throughout California and other states. Unlike other local cartoonists, I specialize in the accurate and complimentary DISNEY style caricatures. I suppose my upbringing shines through...

As a rule, I draw FULL BODIED CARICATURES. In fact, I've been called the "bodies Queen" in the Caricature world of San Diego. While other artists confine their caricatures to mere heads and torsos I PREFER TO DRAW A FULL BODY complete with HOBBIE/THEME and the subject's NAME too! All that in the time it takes other artists to draw just a face-only picture.

After working in the L.A. and Orange counties of Southern California for 3 years, my family and I moved to TUCSON AZ. While there, I had the opportunity to draw at the working movie studio/amuzement park "OLD TUCSON". I established and ran the concession there meeting such actors as JOSH BROLIN, LOUIS GOSSETT JR., EMILO ESTVEZE, ROBERT WAGNER AND LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS as well as local character actors and stunt men and women. On my breaks I'd watch them filming and on their breaks I'd draw those who could sit for me. It was truly a wonderful joy to work there! From the atmosphere to the music to the people...I had a blast! But with the desert comes the hot summer heat. Yes, it was dry, but it was still hot! LOL. So after a few summers we moved on to a temporary site for the summer months...

At the invitation of the Old Tucson Glassblower, we traveled by "stationwagon" to Miden, a tiny town in rural Nebraska to work the summer months at PIONEER VILLAGE and to experience small town middle-American life. I again ran and established the concession there. What an interesting place to work and raise children! I loved it but when winter came it was time to go back to Tucson and OLD TUCSON with TANQUE VERDE SWAP MEET work on the side, one of America's largest outdoor flea markets!

Needless to say, while working these concessions I also did party and convention work at the elegant Hotels and resorts of Tucson, Arizona, Nebraska and Kansas.

My extended family lives here in San Diego county, so in 1991 I moved here with my 3 children and I've been here ever since. I've owned a concession at BARONA VALLEY RANCH AND CASINO and worked at most of the major casinos in the county. For years I worked at BELMONT PARK right next to the rollercoaster! My kids LOVED it!!! TO YOUR RIGHT---> is my "COASTER POSTER" drawn during the famous Belmont Park Roller Coaster Marathon "WHIRL 'TIL YOU HURL!" OMG!!!!!!! Too much fun!!
                                                       

CURRENTLY, I AM RUNNING A CONCESSION AT VIEJAS CASINO & OUTLET CENTER! WHEN I'M NOT AT A PARTY OR EVENT I MAY BE THERE.
(please call if you plan on making a special trip there to see me)

I've also done wall mural and illustration work.

My favorite Caricature?? Without a doubt was done at the annual business meeting with all the major animators and staff for DISNEY CORP. It was there that I met and drew ROY DISNEY JR.'S caricature!

Over the years I've drawn for various clients and agents, too many to list them all. I've handled parties from as small as children's birthdays to as HUGE as major corporate events involving thousands of guests and several subcontrated fellow artists. No event is too small or too large for me! EVERY client is important to me. I VALUE  both the importance of YOUR event and MY reputation as "one of the best".  

PROFESSIONAL, EXPERIENCED and TALENTED. I will provide your guests with the EXCELLENCE they deserve at a price you'll appreciate!

Thank you,
Diane...YOUR Caricature artist.