Diane Griffiths has a unique ability to transform ordinary places into moments of quiet wonder. Through atmospheric acrylic paintings of petrol stations, promenades, amusement arcades and familiar scenes after dark, her work explores the beauty hidden in everyday life and the memories connected to it.

In this interview, Diane reveals the inspiration behind The Colour of Night, explains how light and shadow shapes her paintings, and shares how an unconventional artistic journey, award recognition and a fascination with overlooked places have helped define her evolving career.

Your paintings celebrate the beauty of everyday places after dark, from petrol stations to promenades and amusement arcades. What first drew you to painting the world at night?

It all began with long-exposure photography. I became fascinated by the way a camera could reveal things that often went unnoticed: streetlights reflecting on wet pavements, traffic trails turning ordinary roads into ribbons of colour, or fairy lights transforming a familiar café into something magical.

When I started painting, I wanted to capture that same atmosphere. At first, I was drawn to dramatic city skylines and brightly lit landmarks, but over time my attention shifted towards the everyday places we all pass through without really noticing. I realised I wasn't just interested in painting the night; I was interested in how artificial light transforms ordinary places and the memories attached to them.

Today, that's at the heart of The Colour of Night. I paint familiar places because they belong to all of us. The light reminds us that even the most ordinary places can hold extraordinary stories.

Driving home, acrylic, 19¾x19¾in (50x50cm)

You're a self-taught artist whose route into the art world has been anything but conventional. Looking back, what experiences have most shaped your development, and what advice would you give to other artists following a similar path?

Being self-taught has been both incredibly rewarding and, at times, quite unsettling. Beyond A Level Art, I haven't had any formal art education, so there have been many moments where I've wondered what I might have missed. Colour theory, composition, art history... like many self-taught artists, I sometimes don't know what I don't know.

I’m not sure I’ll ever fully overcome that feeling, but with a growing number of self-taught artists I no longer feel like an outsider. I have gradually developed confidence through practice. There aren’t any shortcuts. The more I paint, the more confident I become. I've learned through curiosity, experimentation and plenty of trial and error. YouTube tutorials, Landscape Artist of the Year, local art societies and, most importantly, simply spending time painting have all shaped my development.

Competitions have also played a huge role in my development. They've given me confidence that the ideas I care most about genuinely connect with other people. More recently, writing articles and filming tutorials has challenged me to understand my own process more deeply.

My advice to other artists is simple: keep going. Keep painting, keep experimenting and stay open to opportunities. There isn't one correct path into the art world, and often the experiences you never expected become the ones that shape your career.

As long as the lights are on, acrylic, 19¾x19¾in (50x50cm)

Light plays such a powerful role in your work, whether it's moonlight, streetlights or illuminated shop fronts. Can you talk us through how you build atmosphere and emotion in your acrylic paintings?

For me, light is never just about illumination; it's the storyteller. It directs the eye, creates atmosphere and often becomes the emotional focus of the painting. During the day we tend to notice buildings, roads and landmarks. At night, we notice the light from those places. That's what draws us in.

I rarely paint light exactly as I see it. I exaggerate the glow slightly, soften the edges and allow reflections to become more colourful than they might be in reality. Those small decisions help shift the painting from simply recording a scene to capturing how it felt to stand there.

Darkness is one of my favourite compositional tools. Details disappear into shadow, leaving only the shapes, colours and light sources that matter most. That gives me the freedom to guide the viewer's eye and create atmosphere without feeling the need to explain every part of the picture.

Atmosphere isn't something I add at the end of a painting. It's there from the very first decisions I make about light, colour and what to leave out. If those choices encourage someone to pause and feel something, then I know the painting is working.

Many of your paintings evoke shared memories rather than documenting a specific place. How important is nostalgia and collective experience in your work, and do you think that's why your paintings resonate so strongly with people?

It's incredibly important. Although my paintings are inspired by real locations, I'm rarely trying to document a place exactly as it exists. I'm much more interested in the experiences people associate with it.

A petrol station isn't really about the building; it's about driving home after work, setting off on holiday or filling up before a long journey. A bus stop isn't just street furniture; it's waiting, conversation and routine.

I think that's why people often connect with the work, even if they've never visited the exact location I've painted. They're recognising a moment from their own lives. If a painting reminds someone of a memory they haven't thought about for years, then I feel I've achieved something much more meaningful than simply producing an accurate picture.

Insert coin to begin, acrylic, 19¾x19¾in (50x50cm)

Winning the awards that you have is a remarkable achievement. How has that public recognition influenced your confidence, your career and your ambitions as an artist?

Winning awards has certainly given me confidence, but perhaps not in the way people might expect. Rather than making me feel I'd "made it", it gave me confidence to trust my own ideas and permission to paint more of what genuinely interests me.
The painting Driving Home, which won a People's Choice Award, was a real turning point. It confirmed that people could connect emotionally with an everyday subject when there was a story behind it. That encouraged me to explore those quieter, shared moments much more deeply, and they've become central to my work ever since.

The recognition has also opened doors to opportunities I could never have predicted. More importantly, it's given me the confidence to walk through those doors. The awards didn't replace the hard work, and they didn't suddenly create opportunities, but they did change my mindset. I used to hesitate before reaching out because I worried I was bothering people. Now I think, "I have something worthwhile to share, and the worst they can do is say no." That shift has led to conversations, collaborations and projects that simply wouldn't have happened otherwise. 

With new exhibitions, public art projects and exciting collaborations on the horizon, what are you most looking forward to next, and where do you see your artistic journey taking you over the coming years?

What excites me most is continuing to explore The Colour of Night. I feel as though I'm only just beginning to understand everything it has to offer.

I'm looking forward to creating more ambitious bodies of work and continuing to explore the overlooked places and shared experiences that have become central to my paintings. I'd love to create exhibitions that feel like more than a collection of individual artworks; something that encourages people to slow down, look differently and perhaps recognise a little of themselves along the way. Public art and collaborations also excite me because they allow the work to reach people who might never normally walk into a gallery.

Ultimately, I just want to keep growing as an artist. Every painting still teaches me something, and I hope that curiosity never disappears.

Watch this space... I'm only just getting started.

Diane Griffiths is a self-taught artist based in Newquay, Cornwall. Working primarily in acrylic on square canvases, her paintings explore how natural and man-made light transform familiar places after dark. Her evocative night scenes have received national recognition for their focus on atmosphere, shared memory and the overlooked beauty of everyday life. Follow Diane on Instagram @dianegriffithsart or visit her website to find out more.