We were lucky to catch up with Rena recently and have shared our conversation below.
Rena, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
We live in a competitive culture that foments self-doubt and the comparison trap. We are suspicious of success and can sometimes cultivate a stance of false modesty when we achieve it. I have always been inspired by these lines from T S Eliott’s poem Four Quartets: ” We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” By “the place” he means ourselves, our identities. We become who we are.
All along our journeys, we try out different ways of being, strive to fit in, and yearn to be understood- to be seen and heard. This is especially true of the artist’s journey because we are struggling to express what we feel and observe, which means WHO WE ARE. We are especially raw and vulnerable when we start to make our creative work public. Also, we are influenced by many other artists who are around us and who have gone before us. That is inevitable. As we develop skills and clarify our ideas, we stumble along, asking ourselves the ultimate imposter syndrome questions: Who do I think I am? This is not really me. What am I doing? I am a fake. I want to go back and hide now. This especially happens, ironically, when we first experience success. We are almost embarrassed. — So what has helped me ride these waves and deal with this internal conflict? First of all, talking about it. It is natural, universal and unavoidable. Second, reading as many biographies of artists and books about the creative process as I can. Those two strategies have enabled me to “normalize” imposter syndrome. Every single creative person copes with it. And, finally, I try to focus on the fact that life is one long exploration toward understanding and accepting ourselves and celebrating the way we express our truth.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Over the past five decades, I have taken art courses in a variety of media: batik, pen-and-ink, watercolor. Throughout my adult life, I have kept notebooks chronicling my observations and experiences. Gradually these became art journals, filled with sketches and collages, along with personal narrative and remarks about the creative process. As these notebooks evolved into more formal exercises, I realized that they were distinct art forms in themselves. At that point, I began creating larger, single pieces. These art journals remain a core part of my studio practice.
After retiring from a fulfilling career as an educator in Baltimore, MD, in 2008, I focused entirely on my artwork. It felt like a dam within me had burst open! The words of Rumi come to mind: “ When you do something you love, you feel a river flowing through you.”
I believe in the power of beauty and the imagination. I believe in the primal need to express, create and share what we have observed. I believe in the intrinsic value of simply engaging in the struggle to give birth to an idea in a tangible form. It is exhilarating!
From 2008 -2018, I lived in the Middle East, Asia and New York City, studying with art instructors in all those locations. For several years, I worked fulltime in a studio at the Art Students League in New York City under the guidance of the late Mariano DelRosario, where I began painting abstract landscapes in acrylic paint and mixed media. Currently I spend about half the year in Baltimore, MD, where I am based at The Studios at the Fox Building in Hampden, and the other half in Vergennes, VT on Lake Champlain, where I work from home.
Each of my artworks is a poem of thanks and praise, a celebration of an ordinary moment in time, a slice of some passing scene. I zoom in on a small section of what I see and break it down, simplify it. I find that capturing just a glimpse will result in a longer look, a new way of appreciating the whole.
A poem by Ted Kooser, “On The Road”, captures this well:
“…a pebble of quartz,
one drop of the earth’s milk…
I held it to the light
and could almost see through it
into the grand explanation.”
I am enchanted by the texture, linear designs and energy in both the urban and the natural world – the history, the stories and the mystery there.
My paintings are primarily abstract landscapes. Some are structured and meditative, while others are more loose and gestural. As I paint, make marks, and compose, each piece takes on its own momentum, guiding me along, one decision, one stroke at a time. There are always multiple layers. I am being guided by two forces: my emotions and my personal aesthetic. I begin playfully, in a flow state, exploring what delights and intrigues me, and move gradually to a state of consideration: What is working here? What isn’t? The creative process feels like a dance. A practice in presence.
Upcoming events for me:
Solo Show in the gallery at Village Wine and Coffee in Shelburne, Vermont- July 2-August 9, 2025
Group Show in the Fox Studios Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland-Fall, 2025
Group Show in Carter Burden Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City- December 4-11, 2025
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Excellent question! The three qualities: 1-Pure joy in creating, in a spirit of play, discovery and curiosity. 2-A deep need to express and share that joy, that quest for beauty and meaning, and a commitment to exploring my own inner life and ideas by journaling regularly. , 3-A fascination with the creative process and a love of learning about it, about other artists, about techniques and innovative ideas.
I LOVE art of all kinds! Being part of this world of art making and studying is energizing; it wakes me up! I can’t get enough of it!
I would encourage emerging artists to practice, play, read, take courses, go to lectures and demonstrations, build an artist community, and go ahead and get yourselves out there! I would also encourage them to be patient with the ups and downs and to believe in themselves.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents were not art lovers. They certainly appreciated beauty in many forms and had strong personal aesthetics, but art with a capital A was not a daily part of their world. That did not matter though!—What they taught me was to follow my interests, to not be too hard on myself, and to have faith that I could achieve whatever I set my mind to. They were totally behind me, for my triumphs as well as my failures. They instilled in me a sense that I was strong and brave enough to meet whatever challenges came my way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.renadiana.com
- Instagram: @renagdiana
Image Credits
Rena Diana
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