Ellen Diederich painted “Shade and Shelter” while in California, and said her piano practice and warm-ups influenced the creation of the international award-winning piece. Contributed/Ellen Diederich
Ellen Diederich loves a good road trip, but passengers beware, her vehicle makes frequent stops.
“I just can hardly drive without stopping all the time. I start composing and I can’t stop myself,” she said of driving and long-distance journeys, which is a favorite creative ritual for the award-winning, nationally recognized watercolor and acrylic artist. “I start seeing images take shape while moving in the car. I love painting shelter belts, animals, florals.”
Like many artists, inspiration can strike at any time, and for Diederich the drive started young with her mother, a piano teacher who encouraged art immersion in their daily lives.
“My mom always had us do a little painting for our recitals,” she said. Diederich and her siblings were surrounded by music, art and expression. “She always supported me in the arts.”
Driven to give
That same inspiration recently led to Diederich and her husband Paul Diederich offering a significant philanthropic gift to Minnesota State University’s School of Art. As a result, the university honored their contribution by naming a gallery in the Roland Dille Center for the Arts after them.
Diederich earned her bachelor of arts painting and an art education in 1983.
“Ellen has been a steadfast supporter of the School of Art at MSUM through student scholarships, conducting workshops and now her support through a significant Gallery naming gift,” Brad Bachmeier, program director and professor of art education at MSUM, said. “This significant gift will ensure that the gallery is able to meet its potential of being a cultural hub where students, artists and community members come together to experience and celebrate artistic innovation and contribution to society.”
If that wasn’t enough inspiration, additional organizations such as the Fargo-Moorhead Visual Artists and the Red River Watercolor Society recently recognized Diederich with lifetime awards for her contributions to the visual arts community in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo.
Artist Michelle Roise, a former student of Diederich’s, honored her with the FMVA’s 2024 Member of the Year. Roise said she credits Diederich for welcoming her to the community in the early 2000s when she was new to the area and looking for mentorships.
“I eventually became a member of both Red River Watercolor Society and FMVA, and already a fan [of Diederich’s], I signed up for a five-day watercolor workshop. It was only the beginning,” Roise said of the impact Diederich has had on her own life’s work ever since.
Driven to share
Diederich runs her studio, Ellen Jean Diederich Studio, from her homes in Fargo and Rancho Mirage, Calif., where she and her family split their time. They sometimes drive between locations, another long drive for Diederich to stretch out her creative muscles.
Diederich sometimes refers to her studio as “Givinity,” a nod to her belief that giving and divinity are interchangeable aspects of her purpose as an artist.
“I want to be a giving as an artist and as a company,” Diederich said, reflecting on how her early years as a student artist taught her the importance of sharing knowledge and other types of wealth. “But that self-taught stuff is BS. Inspiration is everywhere.”
Other than driving around seeking it, Diederich also finds inspiration in playing piano. “My mother greatly influences my art and my love of music. I feel her presence when I play today, and I believe it has improved my art to continue playing.”
Both piano and painting give her something nothing else does, too, which she said is a desire to share her expression as much as she can. Diederich is a keen self-promoter, with a popular “Painting of the Week” blog series on her website and a healthy social media following.
“One thing that sets Ellen apart from other artists is her willingness to promote her talents and skills,” The Arts Partnership Executive Director Tania Blanich said of Diederich’s successful marketing efforts. “Artists who put themselves out there more actively tend to be more successful, not just personally, but professionally, too.”
Diedierich also enjoys teaching workshops and classes, and offers them on a regular basis.
“I know that I need to market because I want to paint,” Diederich said. “So I’m very motivated to get it out. And I keep track of my paintings, who owns them, and I keep track of my customers, and that’s the best part. I really enjoy seeing them.”
Driven to move
This winter, Diederich and her family plan to migrate to California eventually, though it’s uncertain whether they’ll fly or drive. For Diederich, the journey is all about gradual change, perhaps in slow motion, but it’s a movement nonetheless, which is perhaps a good way to describe the artist’s work, too: deep, thoughtful.
“Things can take three years to come to fruition,” on canvas, she said. “But it’s like a rhythm, a style, that is in me all the time, especially if I’m really painting well.”
Stay in touch with artist Ellen Diederich on Instagram or her blog.
This article is part of a content partnership with Forum Communications. The Arts Partnership thanks FCC for supporting local art.
