Dian’s Studio - video to come

Q&A with Dian

1. What is your chosen medium?

Clay

2. How did you start your career in art?

I began taking pottery courses in college, and took additional courses and  many workshops during my career in arts administration.  After moving to WNC in 2000, Penland, Arrowmont, John C Campbell, Odyssey workshops were enjoyed as well as a couple of workshops at La Meridiana in Italy.

3. What informs your art?

 Sculptural and functional woodfire work is often inspired by the rock formations of Arizona where I lived for 15 years.  In the last few years I began sgrafitto, a approach to design on clay that reminds me of printmaking and carving into wood blocks.  The sgrafitto design inspiration is the many native flowers that grow on my property.

4. What jobs you have worked other than as a professional artist?

After receiving a Masters degree in American History, I found myself teaching both history and art in high school, and community college for several years and even teaching art to my son's middle school.   There were a few years of restoring old homes, real estate, and a brief summer developing interpretive programs as a Gulf Islands National Seashore Park Service Ranger (referred to by my sons as my "Smokey the Bear" summer).  My 28 year career in arts administration included four positions as Executive Director: Arts Council of Northwest Florida(3 years), Coconino Center for the Arts Flagstaff (3 years), Tucson-Pima Arts Council (12 yrs) and the UNC Center for Craft, Creativity and Design (10 years).

5. What questions do you ask yourself when starting to work?

When designing work for wood fire, what shape that will accent the path of the flame over and through the work is key.  For the carving of sgrafitto it is a shape that will accent the design.

6. Do you have a quote that’s important to you displayed in your studio?  If so, what is it?  

A quote from Beatrice Wood, at 105 still working in clay "I owe it all to art books, chocolate and young men"

7. Which artist (living or not) would you most like to invite for dinner? What would you serve?

I most enjoy the shared meals with my woodfire crew over the 2 days we load and fire the kiln.  Woodfire is about community, and we share what works and new ideas we want to try.  I thoroughly enjoy workshops with artists who are top of their field, but the most meaningful are sharing meals with the community of potters here.  Meals are seasonal - my July firing will probably include Vietnamese spring rolls and a variety of salads.

8.  What has been your most unusual request for your art?

Several times someone has broken a favorite pot of mine and wants another just like it.  Not going to happen.  There is no way to duplicate the wood firing process and where the flame will travel.  Might come close but it's important to recognize and appreciate that no two wood fire pots will ever be the same.

9. What music are you listening to these days?

I'm listening to audio books in the studio.  Catching up on some I may have missed.  Snow Falling on Cedars and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series.  

10. What is on your nightstand?

Just finished reading Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee about 4 generations of a Korean family.  Excellent read.