DIANE DEMERS-SMITH

I was born with a pencil in my hand!!! Drawing and painting has always been in my DNA. Taking after school art lessons in my youth, I would later receive a BFA from Syracuse University in fashion illustration. My preferred media have been watercolor, pen and ink and pencil. My interest in art uniquely developed further while working as a flight attendant traveling to Europe’s many art museums, cathedrals, opera houses and gardens. During this time, I also studied floral design ... what joy and inspiration I found while painting flowers and birds. Shortly after moving to North Carolina for my husband’s work, I fell in love with clay and its three-dimensional possibilities. I studied art with numerous potters, teachers, and printmakers. The wealth of information shared by them has given me a broad foundation to build upon. I primarily work in red earthenware using my original designs and imagery. I either paint directly or indirectly via transfer onto the surface. These processes help me convey through use of color, line, texture, and form, an immediacy and freshness… and whimsey. I find there is a cross pollination between watercolors on paper and glazing on clay… a constant back and forth exchange of ideas. Whether on paper or ceramics my subjects speak for themselves.