“For sheer transportive power… Diana Godfrey contributes a pair of “Water’s Edge” panels to the show. These are the two simplest pieces in the gallery; they’re also the smallest. The “Water’s Edge” paintings… are pure landscapes: horizontal fields of color denoting grass, sky and water. There isn’t much detail, there’s not much sign of activity, and there are no people present to trouble or complicate the view. Yet the texture of Godfrey’s paints is as soft as upturned earth, and her colors are deep and mysterious as those of a spring night. These small squares speak eloquently, and maybe even conspiratorially, but they don’t give away their secrets; instead, they beckon you close and solicit an immediate emotional response.
Notably, Godfrey’s other pieces in the show aren’t landscapes: They’re a play of overlapping rectangles in near-pastel colors, some roughly striped, some distressed, some scribbled over, all fading a little. Their proximity to the “Water’s Edge” paintings bestows a sense of place on them. They’re redolent of country houses, old wallpaper, farmed fields from a crow’s perspective. Empty horizons always connote longing. Coupled with the rustic feel of the other pieces, Godfrey’s works in this exhibition suggest the deep country, land passed by and largely forgotten, but still possessing quiet dignity, still waiting to be appreciated. Godfrey frames her work in rough wooden boxes, which gives them the feel of heirlooms tucked under a bed or locked in an attic.”
Notably, Godfrey’s other pieces in the show aren’t landscapes: They’re a play of overlapping rectangles in near-pastel colors, some roughly striped, some distressed, some scribbled over, all fading a little. Their proximity to the “Water’s Edge” paintings bestows a sense of place on them. They’re redolent of country houses, old wallpaper, farmed fields from a crow’s perspective. Empty horizons always connote longing. Coupled with the rustic feel of the other pieces, Godfrey’s works in this exhibition suggest the deep country, land passed by and largely forgotten, but still possessing quiet dignity, still waiting to be appreciated. Godfrey frames her work in rough wooden boxes, which gives them the feel of heirlooms tucked under a bed or locked in an attic.”
Tris McCall Jersey City Times 2020
“Diana Godfrey has long created non-representational pieces, emphasizing texture, shapes and the interplay between various segments in her works. For her, colors serve as markers: They light up a surface or help initiate a dialogue between the artist and viewers. Godfrey clearly isn’t creating figurative artworks, but she does include glimpses of familiar objects…She uses colors to emphasize those shapes and to smooth transitions within her acrylics. For her, color is an essential tool”.
Carl Mellor Syracuse New Times 2014
“The first works to greet you upon entering the gallery…are Godfrey’s richly textured and intensely colorful collages. These are luscious surfaces built using a variety of papers and then vibrantly colored with pastels. Godfrey blends in tiny objects for balance, emphasis or contrast. Some pieces suggest the landscape, another is figurative, but all are precisely executed and visually dynamic.”
Katherine Rushworth The Post-Standard 2006
“Godfrey is able to work in a small-size format …and large-size format…to create pieces built around one color as well as works contrasting several colors, and to achieve variety in her work. She conveys whimsy…demonstrates a structured approach…creates a piece with both visual and tactile appeal.”