I didn't learn to read until
I was 9 years old and, later in my thirties, discovered that I had a learning
disability. This explained why I couldn't manage to get grades higher than
a C, no matter how hard I tried. So when I got to high school, my guidance
counselor saw my grades and decided that I would never amount to much. Some
guidance! Instead of typing and business, I was steered toward art and
home-economics classes. Because of my counselor's narrow-minded brain, I
was blissfully enrolled in Art-1A with Miss Yahiro, God's most perfect art
teacher.
I don't know why she was brought to earth when she was,
but I am eternally grateful for her existence. Miss Yahiro believed in the
fundamentals, and in her cultural heritage, which she quietly slipped into
her lesson plans. She was in her mid twenties and single, and had long, flowing
black hair and a full figure. Miss Yahiro taught us to see what was not there
and be still in our minds. We learned about form, perspective, and how to
prepare our minds and space to work. Because art is work, period. I never
suffered from lack of self confidence in her class. She had a way of letting
me know I was an artist, and preparing me to accept the responsibilities
of being an artist. There was never a discussion about who had talent or
who was just in class to get the credits. She treated everyone the same and
we all thrived.
The next year of high school I was placed in Mr. Jancar's
Senior art class. I remained in his class throughout high school. I struggled
with my academic classes, but somehow I was awarded a scholarship to Art
Center College of Design, in Los Angeles, for weekend classes in Figure drawing
my last two years of high school. I don't know how Miss Yahiro and Mr. Jancar
managed this, I never asked. I just went along and drank in the experience.
These two wonderful teachers were a true gift to me.
I wasn't able to attend college because our family didn't
have the money to get me in and my grades were so poor I didn't qualify for
scholarships. After high school I went to beauty college and channeled my
talents in that area. After six years cutting hair, I moved to Marin County
and trained hair cutters for a haircutting chain. During that time, I attended
College of Marin and took classes in printmaking, figure drawing, art history,
and any art class I could fit around my work schedule. In 1984 I moved to
Grass Valley, married and had a daughter. I didn't paint for years, but managed
to channel my creativity in other areas; mosaics, gardening, and throwing
really great birthday parties for our daughter.
In 1989 I started painting again. I had started getting
anxiety attacks a few years before, and as part of my healing process, I
started to paint. Eventually I allowed myself to be the artist I have always
known I was. I started a greeting card company in 1996, basically to get
my images out there, and in January 1997 I quit my part-time job in a really
great bookstore to work full time painting. My simple goal for 1997 was to
make more money as b.t.d. art & cards, than I did as Bev Dittberner,
part time children's book buyer /returns dept. manager. I am happy to say,
I met my goal.
I agree completely with Li Gardiner's 10-point plan for
artists. You have to know you are an artist. Be proud and humble; art is
work. Our best work is the occupation that is born in us, work that allows
time and the dishes to not exist. My husband's favorite saying is "the dishes
can wait." I am truly blessed to have family that supports my work. I know
many artists who have gotten "the degree" and suffered from their education.
I have heard many stories about how certain professors would encourage the
male students to develop their style and discourage the female students by
trying to turn out cookie-cutter female artists whose style mirrored that
of the professor. Basically they were told to paint like the professor to
get good grades. I may have taken a few detours on the road to doing my work,
but I 'm proud of my work, and even though my art education was 25 years
ago, I will always consider myself both educated and self-taught.
About my Work. I am a realist painter. I paint the Virgin
Mary in contemporary settings. When people see my work for the first time
they are often curious about the Mary paintings. Why do I paint them? What
do they mean?. Because my images are my greeting cards, I came up with a
Mary statement that I put on the back of the Mary cards. Here it is:
I paint Mary because she has always been painted, she has been sculpted, carved and even made into plastic night lights. To me, Mary symbolizes unconditional love. The Ultimate Mom. This transcends religious party lines. If Mary were here today, I feel she would be a contemporary women. I can see her working, watching TV, using a lap top computer, and even making pancakes on Saturday morning. By juxtaposing images of Mary with today's icons: the TV Guide, cell phone, lap top computer and even pancakes, I've tried to illustrate that unconditional love should extend to all aspects of life. It's a choice, and one that all of us can benefit from.
I have also been painting pet portraits for two years
now. It started when I painted a portrait of the cat that lives at the bookstore
I worked at. I gave it to the owner for Xmas one year and she had it beautifully
framed and hung in the store. I basically started the card business because
of that portrait as well. She wanted cards for the store and "Romeow" is
still one of my top ten best-selling cards. I've painted 21 pet portraits
in two years. All of my pet portrait commissions have come from word-of-mouth
advertising. This year I will advertise in the phone book. I 'm curious to
see if it pays off. I will let you know next January if it did.
I only have one point of knowledge for artists, I got
it from Miss Yahiro, and it has been my constant since I decided to work
full time. It is simple: "Paint every day, be it for an hour , ten minutes
or ten hours. If I can't manage it, no matter what, I do something to promote
myself, or I study art. Those three things; paint, promote or study art,
can be managed easily. You will be overwhelmed by how your technique improves,
your business grows and your love of the work enriches your life. And as
Li says in point #9 of her 10-point plan, "Don't Worry, Be Happy."
Beverly Trump Dittberner
btdart@oro.net
Artist Resource
Portfolio
Mary Statement ©1996 by b. t. dittberner
B.T. Dittberner is a signature member of the National Acrylic Painters Association, and exhibited work in their annual exhibit at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery in Birmingham, England. In addition to creating work for b.t.d. art & cards, she has also completed corporate commissions.