Standing in front of a large white canvas, art teacher Ms. Pamela Deitrich starts to outline pop art images that would make a collage. The piece, covered in bright colors, features cartoons, logos and pictures from Ms. Deitrich’s childhood.
Recently, Ms. Deitrich has put her art in different shows, and on Friday, Nov. 17th she took her pieces to Deep Ellum, with hopes of getting featured in a gallery. She will have her work on display at the Kettle Art Gallery in Deep Ellum, Dallas in March. The gallery will feature 12 of Ms. Deitrich’s abstract paintings inspired by Jackson Pollock.
“What happens now? I’ll keep painting and marketing my work,” Ms. Dietrich said. “I’m hoping to be in a gallery or galleries from now on. That is my plan.”
In fourth grade, Ms. Deitrich asked her mom for art lessons. In sixth, she started taking lessons with a artist named Nelda Grazin, participating in art shows and earning ribbons at the State Fair of Texas. While attending The University of North Texas, Ms. Dietrich majored in Visual Art Studies and painted portraits on the side.
After graduating college in 1998, Ms. Dietrich moved to New York City to pursue her art career. While living there, she showed her art at several galleries including the M Gallery in Harlem and Bombay Gallery. Art Flash Magazine interviewed Ms. Dietrich because of the showing at the gallery and a PBS special, “A Walk Around Harlem,” interviewed her. However, because of editing her part got cut out. Ms. Dietrich also did portraits during this time, including a portrait on the Blue Man Group. In 2001 Ms. Dietrich moved back to Texas to help out her family.
“I met my husband and had two boys along with a step-daughter,” Dietrich said. “I simply didn’t have time for art, besides what I did while teaching. Last year I started to really get back into painting. I have also been doing well with pet portraits in colored pencil. I have been in a few one night shows and just started to market myself again. As soon as I contacted the gallery, I got a show. It’s all very exciting, and hopefully good things will continue.”
To create this art, Ms. Deitrich painted in layers and all freehand. She started the colorful pop art pieces in 2016.
“I like pop art. These are kind of like self portraits because they are all things that made me who I am,” Ms. Deitrich said. “They are products and things I like and just all the different images I grew up with.”
