I trained as a designer and now work as a painter from my studio in Wellington, New Zealand. Having trained in fashion and graphic design, and later at Inverlochy Art School. I have been exhibiting painting, drawing and sculpture for over 12 years.
About Diana.
1958 - Born in Wellington, New Zealand.
1963 - 75 - Attended St Benedict’s, Erskine and Marsden schools.
Qualifications:
1980 - 83 / 1990 - 94 - I studied for a Fashion Design Diploma at Wellington Polytechnic (now Massey University) and then 10 years later completed a Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design) Degree from Massy University, passing with Honours.
Career:
1994 + - After graduating top of class at Massey, in large part due to being a mature student who really worked hard – I had the fortune (and I’m not sure it was good fortune necessarily) of being highly sought after by a number of agencies. I was wooed by Colenso and as an art director was partnered with a couple of great writers, first with Lloyd Jones (author), then Raybon Kan (comedian). After what was only a brief stint in advertising, I ran screaming to the less theatrical side of the creative industry and settled in to a successful career as a designer, working initially for Designworks, then eventually running in my own practice for many years.
Teaching:
1998 + - While running my design business, I also did some mentoring and 4th year key project tutoring for the Massey University Design School.
Living in Wellington:
1990 + - After early years in Wellington, I lived and worked in Auckland before 'returning home'. I currently live, work and exhibit in Wellington. When not painting, I ride dressage competitively and spend time in the Wairarapa with a gaggle of small dogs.
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Career as an artist.
Sculpture:
2005 - I started to do sculptural works (in stainless steel wire) in both 2D and 3D.
Painting:
2007 + - After taking and Inverlochy House painting course with Roberto Paulet, I have continued to explore painting in oil and mixed media. I continued to take courses at Inverlochy Art School with Roberto Paulet which included study of techniques in oil, pastel, egg tempera resulting in a series of large paintings of masters, portraits in the classic style and nudes, plus some working studies and a range of portraiture from life classes.
In 2007, I exhibited as part of Inverlochy annual group shows and hves exhibited with a number solo and group shows in the years since. My work has focussed on life drawing and painting, oil and traditional techniques. This has resulted in a series of works in the past few years and annual exhibition/group shows at Inverlochy, Thistle Hall, The Woolstore pop up Gallery and beyond.
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Exhibition overview:
The series’ I have created for exhibitions include;
Dressage – A show of abstracts drawing on dressage horses and equipment - oil on canvas and studies.
At work- A show of abstracts drawing on the human form and inspired by working girls - oil on canvas and studies.
Nudes #1 / #2- A show of representative paintings drawing on the human form - oil on canvas and studies / a show of abstracts drawing on the female nude form - oil on canvas and studies.
War horses- A show of abstracts drawing on the horse at war from a range of archival photography from the two Great Wars - oil on canvas and studies.
Masters reinterpreted#1 - A show ofgestural abstracts drawing on old masters works and depicting military subjects including Napoleon, Gustav of Sweden, Count-Duke Olivares and Field Marshal Lord Roberts - oil on canvas and studies on paper.
The Horse- A show of portraits drawing on the horse - oil on canvas and ink on paper studies.
Horses– A series of large scale oil on canvas and ink on paper works and studies of the horse.
The Good, Bad and the Ugly – a series of works on paper inspired by spaghetti westerns, including famous scenes and still from; For a few dollars more; The Good the Bad & the Ugly; No country for old men and more.
Cowboys / Spaghetti Westerns– Further works on paper inspired by spaghetti westerns, including famous scenes and still from; For a few dollars more; The Good the Bad & the Ugly; No country for old men and more.
Silhouettes / Famous profiles– Further works extending theEmperors new nose series; silhouette forms and exploring spray paint as a medium - spraying and masking a mis-matched set of profiles including; Pinocchio and Putin; Hitchcock and Darth Vader; Lincoln and Paddington Bear; Queen Elizabeth II and Homer Simpson.
Silhouettes / Chooks and crooks- A series of silhouette forms of chickens, roosters and an array of infamous characters from the world political stage - spray painted on canvas and paper.
The Emperors new nose- a series of silhouette forms and exploring spray paint as a medium - spraying and masking a mis-matched set of profiles including; Pinocchio and Putin; Hitchcock and Darth Vader; Lincoln and Paddington Bear; Queen Elizabeth II and Homer Simpson.
Masters Reinterpreted#1 - A series of studiesafter Gottfried Lindauer’s iconic Maori portraits. Acrylic on paper.
Landscapes– Wairarapa landscapes acrylic on paper ranging from realistic to more gestural abstracts.
Portraits of India– A series of portraits from recent travels to India, mainly men and women of the Rajasthan region.
Africa– A series drawn from photos from Kruger park by the artist of the big 5 and other African wildlife and birds, Acrylic on paper.
Abstracts w/ horse – A series of large scale abstract forms, a mixed media with spray-paint, acrylic on paper, created by Diana and a the horses of the Kapiti Vaulting Club to fundraise for the 2019 World equestrian Games team.
Wire sculpture – In addition Diana completed a small series of wire sculpture work of horses in 3D and portraits, nudes and dancers in 2D (stainless steel wire).
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> Commissions.
2016 – 2019 (Direct from Studio / Commissions);
Dog, acrylic on paper – Baboo / N Singh, Jodhpur India.
Dog, acrylic on paper – White dog, Kooma / R Rathore, Jodhpur India.
Horse, acrylic on paper – MIDDY / S Main, Griffith Australia.
Horse, acrylic on paper – J Bishop / Kent, Uk.
Skye – M Crabtree, Tanworth in Arden, Uk.
Zebra – S Donnellan, Auckland.
Leopard – M Donnellan, Auckland.
Ruakokopatuna – Commission of new work from landscape series - C Hollings, Auckland.
Leopard – T Hollings, Auckland.
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> Exhibitions.
I have exhibited in Wellington for the last 6 years in group shows.
2019 / Fundraising #1; Collaboration / A series of abstract forms, a mixed media with spray-paint, acrylic on paper, created by Diana, the riders and the horses of the Kapiti Vaulting Club to fundraise for the 2019 World equestrian Games team.
2019 / Fundraising #2; Collaboration / A further series of larger scale abstract forms, a mixed media with spray-paint, acrylic on paper, created by Diana, the riders and the horses of the Kapiti Vaulting Club to fundraise for the 2019 World equestrian Games team.
2019 (Direct from Studio). Africa – A series drawn from photos from Kruger park by the artist of the big 5 and other African wildlife and birds, Acrylic on paper.
2018 (Direct from Studio). Skye– landscapes from photos by the artist from the Isle of Skye, including; The Old man of Storr, Skye; The Old man of Storr, Skye; The Cuillin's, Skye; View from Sligahan, Skye; From Storr south, Skye.
2018/9 (Direct from Studio). India / portraits– A series of portraits from recent travels to India, mainly men and women of the Rajasthan region.
2018/9 (Direct from Studio). Landscapes / Wairarapaincluding; Bidwills Cutting to the East; Te Muna Road; Ruakokopatuna to the South; The Three Canoes, evening; South East of Masterton; The Tararuas from Gladstone Road;Ruakokopatuna Valley #1; The Tararua's, from White Rock Road; From Ponatahi Road; East from Ponatahi.
2018 (Direct from Studio). Spaghetti Westerns– An extension of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly series.
2017 (Direct from Studio). India studies– a range of market and street scenes including; Jaisalmer Desert; Jaisalmer Fort; Jodhpur Street; Clock Tower Market, Jodhpur.
2017 DNA Private View (pop up gallery). Masters Reinterpreted– A series of studies after Gottfried Lindauer. Acrylic on paper. (Sold) Works included; Tomika Te Mutu, Ngaiterangi, BoP C1880; Paori Tuhaere 1878; Pare Watene.
2017 Blenheim / Horses (as part of group exhibition). Exhibiting as part of a group show, the works were military horses in gestural interpretations of classic works drawing on old masters works and depicting military subjects including Napoleon, Gustav of Sweden, Count-Duke Olivares (after Diego Velázquez), Field Marshal Lord Roberts, Napoleonic French Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards Charging, Napoleon Crossing the Alps, King Charles XI of Sweden.
2016 (Direct). Chooks and crooks – A series of silhouette forms of chickens, roosters and an array of infamous characters from the world political stage - spray painted on canvas and paper.
2015 Martinborough Art Auction – ‘Contemporary’. 4x works accepted from the Silhouettes series. The art auction was a charitable event for the Ruamahanga Heatlh trust, to raise funds to build the Waihinga Health Centre, Library and Community Centre in Martinborough).
2015 Thrive Gallery. The Emperors new nose Diana has been working on an evolving a body of work that is throwing the old and new together. This exhibition is a series of silhouette forms and exploring spray paint as a medium - spraying and masking a mis-matched set of profiles including; Pinocchio and Putin; Hitchcock and Darth Vader; Lincoln and Paddington Bear; Queen Elizabeth II and Homer Simpson. In addition, the show included an interpretation on mask and spray-paint of a range of old masters, including; Count-Duke Olivares and Field Marshal Lord Roberts; Napoleonic French Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards Charging; Napoleon Crossing the Alps; King Charles XI of Sweden.
2015 Thrive (hidden) Gallery. Silhouettes/ Flora- A series using silhouette forms and exploring spray paint as a medium – these works spray and mask through found objects and local flora.
2015 Thrive Gallery. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly– The exhibition is a series of works on paper inspired by spaghetti westerns, including famous scenes and still from; For a few dollars more; The Good the Bad & the Ugly; No country for old men and more.
2014 Thrive Gallery. Horse series – A companion series at the Woolstore pop up Gallery group exhibition in December 2013. This series of Ink on paper was an exploration of the form and spirit of the horse. The major works were Oil on canvas horse portraits.
2013 The Woolstore pop up Gallery, Wellington. Exhibiting as part of a group show a range of Oil on canvas, Ink on paper works and a sculpture installation were shown; The Horse- a show of portraits drawing on the horse - oil on canvas and ink on paper studies; Waving Cats- a sculpture installation - lacquered plastic.
2012 Thistle Hall, Wellington. Exhibiting as part of a group show, the focus of this exhibition was military horses in gestural interpretations of classic works; Masters Reinterpreted- a show of gestural abstracts drawing on old masters works and depicting military subjects including Napoleon, Gustav of Sweden, Count-Duke Olivares and Field Marshal Lord Roberts - oil on canvas and studies on paper.
2011 Inverlochy House, Wellington. War horses- a show of abstracts drawing on the horse at war from a range of archival photography from the two Great Wars - oil on canvas and studies.
2009 Inverlochy House, Wellington. Nudes #1- a show of representative paintings drawing on the human form - oil on canvas and studies; Nudes #2- a show of abstracts drawing on the female nude form - oil on canvas and studies.
2008 Inverlochy House, Wellington. At work- a show of abstracts drawing on the human form and inspired by working girls and studies of the human form - oil on canvas and studies.
2007 Inverlochy House, Wellington. Dressage- an abstract series of works and studies inspired by horses and dressage equipment - oil on canvas and studies.