April 29, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Diana Gordon: Santa Monica Artist, Lawyer & Activist:

“You have to do the work even when it’s not going well,” were Diana Gordon’s words when talking about making art. “It’s not a sometimes thing. You have to be disciplined.”

Gordon was speaking about her current show at FIG Gallery, Bergamot Station (figgallery.com).

She could have been talking about so many parts of her life.

Publicly known in Santa Monica for her involvement in local politics, Gordon was one of the founders of the Coalition for a Livable City (smclc.net).

“It was my first Council meeting,” said Gordon talking about her introduction to Santa Monica politics. “I went to a hearing on the plans for the renovation of Santa Monica Place. The meeting was long. Many articulate people spoke. Yet it felt as if it were a done deal.”

Fast-forward to the present time.

“I think we are at an interesting crossroads in Santa Monica,” she said. “The Hines project was a decisive turning point and residents are now organized in a way that makes their voices heard.”

Gordon, the political activist, is also Gordon the attorney and Gordon the artist.

“My grandmother was an artist,” she said. “She was raised at a time when women were taught to paint on china and paint watercolors as part of their college educations. It wasn’t until the later years of her life she began painting landscapes. That fascinated me. She painted for the sheer joy of painting.”

Gordon was also influenced by her mother’s friends.

“My mother had two best friends, one was with a major ad company and the other was a fashion buyer for a major department store in the Midwest,” she said. “They had interesting work and I wanted to have interesting work too.”

Gordon studied history, Spanish, and art at UCLA.

“When I was a junior I did a year abroad in Madrid,” she said. “I studied at the Prado and saw for myself the worlds created by artist such as Goya and Bosch.

Having grown up in the San Fernando Valley the artists I studied at the Prado were a revelation.”

Being a painter herself was in her future, but Gordon didn’t know it yet.

She graduated UCLA with a major in history and went on to law school at UC Davis.

“I liked being a lawyer,” Gordon said.

“I went into the field of business and entertainment litigation and practiced law for most of my adult life. I only began transitioning to being an artist in the last 12 years.”

In 2003 Gordon inherited a treasure trove of paints, art materials, and books about art. It seemed the inheritance came at just the right time in her life.

Gordon began to study with the artist Martin Lubner at his studio in Venice, CA.

“Abstract art interests me because it is a nonverbal language and it requires an emotional understanding whereas with figurative art our minds recognize the object,” Gordon said. “How color works in the service of other color, the diversity, the range and the dialogue of color fascinates me.”

Gordon said the process of painting is, for her, like being a lawyer.

“You are always working to marshal ideas and winnowing down to the strongest possible statement,” Gordon said. “Everything that you’re passionate about in your life makes your life and your work better.”

What Say You?

in Opinion
<>Related Posts

Opinion: Declaration of Economic State of Emergency in Malibu & Pacific Palisades: A Direct Result of the Devastating Impact of the Palisades Fire

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Malibu and Pacific Palisades Request Emergency Financial Measures By Ramis Sadrieh, Chairperson, Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce    On behalf...

SM.a.r.t Column: The World’s Happiest Cities

April 27, 2025

April 27, 2025

Almost every year, we see new cities, regions, and countries that make the list(s) of our planet’s happiest and healthiest...

SM.a.r.t Column: A City for Everyone

April 20, 2025

April 20, 2025

Santa Monica dazzles with its ocean views, sunshine, and laid-back charm. But beyond the postcard image lies a more complicated...

SM.a.r.t Column: Part II: Rebuilding Resilient Communities: Policy and Planning After the Fires

April 13, 2025

April 13, 2025

The January 2025 wildfires that devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena left an indelible mark on Los Angeles County. Beyond the...

SM.a.r.t Column: Innovative Materials for Fire-Resistant Rebuilding After the LA Fires

April 6, 2025

April 6, 2025

In the aftermath of the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, homeowners face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives and...

Opinion: Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath Community Column Regarding a More Accountable Homeless Services System

April 3, 2025

April 3, 2025

By Lindsay Horvath, Los Angeles Board of Supervisors This week marks a significant milestone in our fight to end homelessness...

SM.a.r.t Column: Bring Back The Music 2.0

March 23, 2025

March 23, 2025

This is an update of the article appearing in the SM Mirror on Feb 1, 2025 On January 28th, 2025,...

Letter to the Editor: Close the Fairview Library??

March 17, 2025

March 17, 2025

By the Santa Monica Public Library Board, Judith Meister, Chair, Dana Newman, Vice Chair Antonio Spears, Boardmember Daniel Cody, Board Member...

SM.a.r.t Column: Fire Safety in Los Angeles: Reimagining an Age of Megafires

March 16, 2025

March 16, 2025

Los Angeles stands at a critical juncture in its relationship with fire. It is true that climate change intensified vegetations...

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium: The Cultural Icon Santa Monica Needs

March 9, 2025

March 9, 2025

Santa Monica is a city of innovation, creativity, and world-class attractions, yet it lacks a central cultural destination that reflects...

SM.a.r.t Column: The Perils of Passing the Buck: How Self-Certification Threatens Public Safety in Building Design and Construction

March 2, 2025

March 2, 2025

In the bustling city of Santa Monica, California, a quiet revolution is underway in the world of building design and...

SM.a.r.t Column: Bring Back The Music

February 16, 2025

February 16, 2025

On January 28th, 2025, the City Council did a wise thing and agreed to continue the process, for 30 days,...

SM.a.r.t Column: The Water Crisis Behind LA’s Fire Disaster: A Legacy of Outdated Infrastructure

February 9, 2025

February 9, 2025

A firefighter filling a trash can with pool water during the devastating 2025 Los Angeles fires tells a story more...

SM.a.r.t Column: California’s Fire Safety Evolution: Meeting Modern Wildfire Challenges

February 2, 2025

February 2, 2025

The devastating fires that struck Los Angeles in January 2025 echo a pattern of increasingly destructive wildfires reshaping California’s approach...

SM.a.r.t Column: Peril, Prevention, and the Path Forward

January 26, 2025

January 26, 2025

The recent Palisades and Altadena fires brought Los Angeles’ inherent contradictions into sharp focus as residents fled their homes in...