Diane Tracy Lehman studied art at East Carolina University where she concentrated on drawing the human figure and painting. After ECU, she worked for Hallmark Cards as an inside design artist. She has always been drawn to the diversity of the human physique, and that enjoyment was a natural precursor to her career as a portrait artist.

After 20 years of precise portrait work requiring significant attention to detail, she decided to make a change and began more free-form art expressing herself through abstraction. She started painting with internationally known abstract painter Terrence Coffman of Jefferson, Wisconsin. His kindness and encouragement helped influence her style and steered her towards the painter she is today.

Her most recent award was first place in the abstract category at the 99th Hoosier Salon Exhibition, 2023.

She has exhibited her work at the Honeywell Center in a solo show; and has also shown at the Hoosier Salon Carmel Gallery. She has won many awards throughout Indiana, most recently Honorable mention in the 92 County Art Show ,“Best non-objective composition” in 2021 in the Hoosier Salon 97 th Annual Exhibition, and other awards stretching back to “Best of Show” in 2002 Nine County Art Show at the Honeywell Center.

Diane lives in Peru, Indiana with her husband and Weimaraner on their farm. Nature and the outdoors are often the inspiration for her abstract works, but really, she paints what she feels. Masses of scribbles, bold strokes of color, scrapes, splatters, drips – whatever it takes to express the emotion of a moment. Nothing is preconceived because each moment is different.