I’m Diane, a London based artist, wife and mum of two girls. I paint bright and beautiful art inspired by a style popular in the 18th Century called Chinoiserie, pronounced ‘shin-waa-zuh-ree’, literally meaning ‘Chinese things’. I obsess over every detail, from the size of each brushstroke to the tone of each colour. My unique method of painting on silk gives a modern, fresh look, versatile enough to work in any home. I hope you love what you see!
Being surrounded by nature is key to our health and wellness, so it’s no wonder so many artists are inspired by the beauty it provides. Filling your walls with paintings of flowers, plants and wildlife brings the outdoors in and lifts the atmosphere of a space.
I'm passionate about sharing my art and skills with all those who enjoy it. It is important to me that every talented artist has a platform to succeed. Whatever your passion… never give up on it!
I've been lucky enough to collaborate with some incredible brands who share my values and celebrate my artistry. Together we've developed a beautiful selection of products using my hand-painted originals, such as wallpaper, fabric, silk scarves, jewellery and dresses (as pictured!)
Image above shot by Sundari Ferris for Hill House Home.
I've been creative since I was a toddler and being an artist has been my life long focus. My mum tells me of how I used to draw all over the walls (sorry mum!)! She always had the cutest decorative ornaments around the house while I was growing up, which is why I'm so attracted to delicate florals and classical patterns.
It all started with my youngest daughter Bonnie’s bedroom which I painted very slowly (between school runs and nap times) over a year. I really wanted a Chinoiserie paradise for her, full of bold colours and beautiful birds! I decided to share some snaps on my personal Facebook page and the reaction was bigger than I could have imagined. It was shared countless times and even caught the attention of Vogue magazine. It was at that point that I really believed this could be a great business - so I got to work right away!
I use a mixture of Chinese and European brushes, and a type of watercolour paint called gouache. My originals are mostly painted onto paper backed silk. It is silk fabric as you know it, but it's been specially treated to enable me to paint beautiful crisp details and smooth gradients. Once my paintings are complete I have them digitised using a specialist scanner, which creates a perfect reproduction of the original painting.
My technique means that my paintings have a sense of depth, as well as ultra fine details thanks to using precision brushes. To achieve the shading in my flowers I use two thick Chinese brushes, one loaded with watercolour paint and one loaded with plain water. I lay down the paint with one brush and then quickly blend the colour out using the water brush. I have to be super quick to get the smoothest possible gradients!
The journey I’m on continues to outstrip my wildest dreams and I want to help other artists create a fulfilling life for themselves too. I now teach artists the art of Chinoiserie, and also share my knowledge on how to sell art online! You can start by following behind the scenes on instagram and by signing up to my lovely emails. There is so much more to come so watch this space...
Whatever the future holds, I hope you’ll join me for the ride!
