Award-Winning Tucson Artist Diana Madaras

Before opening her art gallery and becoming an iconic Tucson painter, Diana operated a high-profile sports marketing company that promoted major sporting events such as the LPGA and PGA golf tournaments. A month-long painting trip to Greece in 1993 changed her life, prompting her to sell her marketing company and devote her career to painting. She has since been voted Tucson’s Best Visual Artist 9 times.

Diana’s next gallery show will be held on 3/8/2020 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Please RSVP to madaras.com.

1. I’d like to start by inviting you to share a bit about your career before you devoted yourself to art full time. You owned your own marketing company, and while that requires a great deal of creativity, it’s very different from being a painter. How did you wind up making that transition?
   
2. When you opened your gallery, you were not new to business but you were new to being a full-time artist. What do you wish you had known when you first started out?
   
3. One of the things that struck me when we first met is that you have a very strong yet quiet energy. So your art and your own image are all over Tucson, but you actually have this introverted streak. It makes me wonder what it feels like for you to be such a public figure. In what ways has it affected you? How did you get used to it?
   
4. I know many business owners wish they could just do what they do best and not have to deal with the day-to-day aspects of their company. You’re both an artist and an entrepreneur. Those are two very distinct hats. What’s the most challenging thing you’ve had to overcome as both an artist and a gallery owner?
   
5. All leaders have to tap into some kind of inspiration to keep moving their ideas and their company forward. What inspires you, and was there something in particular that sparked a great idea?
   
   1. Diana mentioned two artists in particular who inspire her: John Nieto and Richard Schmid.
      
6. You’re passionate about animals and have done a great deal for various charities over the years. I know that the Tucson Wildlife Center is particularly close to your heart. At the center’s annual benefit dinner last March, you were honored for your philanthropic efforts. Why are animals so special to you, and how does the wildlife center in particular play a role in that?
   
7. I love having a variety of professions represented on the show because everyone has a story, regardless of what they do. I also think that stories give us a better understanding of the actual work and risks that go into a particular business. Is there anything about being an artist that you wish people better understood?