de Menil Gallery welcomes painters Sarah Diamond and Elizabeth Noble for 'It’s Personal'

Groton School’s de Menil Gallery celebrated the start of its 2024–25 season with an opening reception for “It’s Personal,” an exhibition of paintings by Sarah Diamond and Elizabeth Noble curated by Gordon Chase, on September 29.

This collection of thirty interpretive paintings captures with a wonderful honesty who a series

of individuals are—mother, child, friend, grandmother—all seen up close and presented with a

generous use of paint, light, and color. 

“It was exciting to put this show together,” said Mr. Chase at the reception. “Knowing these two artists and having the luxury, the pure joy, of choosing from among all of the wonderful things they’ve created, was an inspired project for me as a curator. 

“These subjects mean something to the painters who painted them,” he added, “and, by extension, I think they invite us to share in the idea of being seen and being heard, which is something that everyone seems to be looking for lately.”

Addressing the collected crowd, both painters thanked the people who supported them throughout their career, either by patronage or inspiration.

“I don’t think anyone gets to make art like this, or show art like this, without the support of a huge community,” said Ms. Noble. “So thank you.”

“I don’t show work very much and so this was both slightly nervous-making and gratifying,” said Ms. Diamond. “I’m really appreciative of the opportunity. I paint because I have to, and make things because I must. I just like to look at everything around me and try to understand it if I can.” 

In the selected paintings, each artist makes use of metaphoric devices to enhance each interpretation—whether by means of bold expressive strokes and slashes of color, or with the addition of surrealistic shapes or symbols.

“I knew that both of them were painters who really loved to use paint, and really push the stuff around, and that was something that I think deserves more attention that it gets in a world where we tend to rely on photographs so often,” said Mr. Chase. “These are pure painters, artists of the original kind, and it’s a real treat to choose these pieces and, as a theme, to explore this idea of interpretive portraits that weren’t just descriptive but really captured the humanity of these subjects.” 

“It’s Personal” runs through November 22.