In this intimate and deeply reflective conversation, host Chris Stafford sits down with Diana Bittar, an acclaimed portraiture mixed-media artist whose work investigates the emotional, psychological, and spiritual layers of identity. Diana shares the stories behind her creative process—how she blends paint, drawing, and unconventional materials to explore memory, womanhood, displacement, and the unseen dimensions of personal history. Through raw honesty and quiet curiosity, she reveals how portraiture becomes a mirror, a healer, and a tool for connection. Listeners will gain insight into:

• Diana’s evolution as a mixed-media portrait artist
• How personal narrative and cultural memory inform her work
• The emotional depth behind her layered and textural compositions
• Her creative rituals, challenges, and inspirations
• The transformative nature of art as self-discovery

Whether you are an artist, collector, curator, or simply someone who loves meaningful stories, this episode offers a beautiful reflection on how art helps us understand ourselves—and each other.

🔎 Keywords:
Diana Bittar, portraiture artist, mixed-media artist, contemporary art, portrait artist interview, women artists, art process, creative journey, emotional storytelling, art and identity, mixed media portraiture, creative inspiration, personal narrative art, art podcast, Chris Stafford, AART podcast, intimate artist interview, visual storytelling, artist studio practice, modern portraiture

BIO
Portraiture, mixed-media artist Diana Bittar whose large canvases convey bold, uninhibited figures reflecting the artist’s new found confidence and expression. ‘I am constantly fascinated by faces, and how the personalities and thoughts of each individual inspire me to form delicate relationships with each canvas’, she explains. Diana was born in London in 1974, the middle of three children—she has an older sister and younger brother. Her father Doraid is Syrian and her mother Helen, a Czech, who met while studying mechanical engineering in Prague. Diana was born during her parents’ visit to London for her father who needed medical attention following the loss of a leg when the oil refinery at which he was working in Syria was targeted during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. The family returned to Prague until 1980 when they moved to Syria. From the age of two, when her mother first gave her crayons, Diana has shown a natural talent for the fine details of her art. By the age of 17, despite being an introvert, she was receiving her first commissions. Meanwhile, following a chance encounter in the pool, Diana proved to be a natural swimmer and would go on to win national championships. But it was her passion for art that would eventually decide her career path. She chose to major in Visual Communications and Graphic Design at the Fine Art University in Damascus, graduating in 1995. Shortly after, she met her Syrian husband, Tarek, an orthopedic surgeon, and followed him back to California. Diana took a break from her art to raise her three sons. When she returned to her easel she changed her focus from landscapes to what she describes as Abstract Realism in Portraiture. She lives in Granada Hills, Los Angeles where she has held a number of shows in the area.
 
Diana Bittar Website: https://www.dianabittar.com
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/diana_bittar_art/

Diana's playlist:
The Weather Report
Lettuce
The Blackyards
Alfa Mist
Otis McDonald
Herbie Hancock
Miles Davis
Ron Carter
Pat Metheny

"I mainly listen to instrumental, like fusion Jazz or old traditional Arabic music. Also love old school rap and hip hop. At times my heart craves 80s music every now and then." - Diana


 
Host: Chris Stafford
Produced by Hollowell Studios
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Email: [email protected]


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