Artist’s Biography

Diana is an established Norwich based artist working in multi-media formats. She has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally and is a member of the Norwich 20 Group of Artists and the Norfolk Contemporary Arts Society.

Born in Retford, Nottingham, Diana moved to Norfolk as a child. She studied at the Norwich Art School (now Norwich University of the Arts) and at Swansea College of Art where she gained her Art Teaching Diploma. She was accepted to study at Chelsea Art School but could not afford to do so and it inspired her to work harder in a variety of jobs including painting murals, portrait commissions as well as writing, teaching, street theatre and acting. She taught life drawing and portraiture techniques for many years at Wensum Lodge, only retiring from teaching aged 75.

While at Norwich Art School she was taught and influenced by Michael Andrews, Jeffrey Camp and John Wonnacott and, in particular Leslie Davenport, who told Diana and her peers that they should ‘draw and paint every day of your lives and go out ‘whatever the weather to do this!’

Diana has always tried to follow this work ethic and has countless sketchbooks and works in a variety of media and has recently returned to oil painting, working from sketches au plein aire and in lockdown, from photos.

She loves her precious garden, her friends, her family. She draws and paints in her home, interiors, or garden (socially-distanced during lockdown) the contents of the garden, country walks and occasional sorties to the sea.

Diana is fascinated by all subject matter, micro and macro.