Working
in her light filled studio in the Sierra Nevada
Mountains, Dina is inspired by the wildlife and
natural beauty that surrounds her.
In
her studio Appel now applies the same skills
that made her mural business a success to her
illusionistic fine art paintings. These unique
and popular acrylic on canvas paintings combine
a three dimensional effect with lyrical design
and vivid color for beautifully stunning results. The
intense, demanding, and time consuming style
of trompe l’oeil painting relies on techniques
such as masterful use of shadow, precisely calculated
perspective, and smooth, almost invisible brush
strokes.
Called “the
brain surgery of art” for its difficulty,
trompe l’oeil painting is the rarest form
of art practiced in America today, with Appel
taking the style to completely new levels.
In
addition to her mural business and fine art painting,
Dina has taught painting and drawing at the collegiate
level in both Texas and California. She exhibits
her work at select galleries and fine art shows
throughout the West. Dina's artwork can be found
in many major corporate and private collections
throughout the world.
"I
look for the unusual within the usual, the mystery
hidden in the beauty and complexity of the natural
world," says Appel. I include depictions
of nature’s most beautiful creations in
all my paintings as celebrations of life’s
fragility and beauty. My paintings work
at many different levels, drawing the viewer
in and taking them to a new place. A beautiful
place” |
