Diane Phares

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Diane now lives and works in the countryside of New Jersey. She studied art at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. Diane recognizes art as the most important method of communication and uses it to effect change.

Her art incorporates many forms: painting, printmaking, sculpture, collage, mixed media, and bookmaking, as she explores the image-making process in diverse and original ways. Her works often comprise multiple images that reference her family history, women’s issues, world culture, and current events. Memories from conversations with her aunts around the family dining room table inspired her to create “piecework,” using sewing materials and thread as binding elements. Many paintings are sewn together by hand or machine stitching, referencing the work performed in sweatshops by her aunts, as each part becomes a small component of the whole.


Artist Statement

The series Women’s Work was conceived to promote economic, social, and political equality for women. Inspiration for the three portraits came from strong and important women in her life. Each individual quilt pattern piece is added to the portraits, building upon one another to become whole, seen, and valued, just as the women depicted are. The quilt pieces themselves are over 100 years old and were passed down from a family member. They take on a new life in a new era for women, incorporating new thread, embroidery floss, and acrylic paint on linen canvas.


www.dianephares.com

Who and/or what are your influences when you were first starting out vs. now?

Early on, my paternal aunts, all seamstresses, had a major influence on my development. Sitting around the dining room table, we talked about their experiences working in a sweatshop during World War II, their stories as children of Italian heritage, and their decisive opinions on happenings in the news. These intergenerational connections fostered my interests in heritage, culture, and women’s issues. Subsequently, studying art in NYC greatly contributed to piquing my artistic focus, as I had access to so many museums and galleries. Now, I am fortunate to have daily art talks with my artist husband, Marc, art dates to discuss my vision with my friend, Pat, and a community of Instagram artists to inspire me and keep me accountable. My passion for Proto-Renaissance art has never wavered, and an interest in current events always seems to energize my work (or set me off!).


What is your favorite thing about the materials you use?

The quilt pieces, part of the American experience, are over 100 years old and were passed down from a family member. Quilting is traditionally attributed only to women, which appeals to me. This connection to family brought me to combine quilt pieces, thread, and embroidery in my work. The threads connect, mend, and bind together the portraits that are painted using acrylics on my favorite surface, Belgian linen. The elastic quality of acrylic paint allows me to manipulate the portraits enough to be sewn by machine. The physical formation of my work is completed by fashioning painted portraits and antique quilt fragments into something entirely new.


What would you say is hidden just underneath the surface of your work? Meaning, what are you revealing to your viewers?

The works help define and reveal my identity through portraits of strong women in my life. These portraits are based on relationships, memories, and tender moments. There is also mystery, ambiguity, and classical influences representing the human experience, built intentionally into the work. My goal is to create thoughtful art and stimulate questions. The viewer is invited to uncover a meaning for themselves, read into the piece, and engage in rich conversations.


Can you tell us about a turning point in your practice? Was there a moment when things started clicking?

A definitive moment took place in 2006 when I spotted some painted canvas scraps scattered about in my studio. Suddenly, I saw them as bits of cloth, like those my aunts had pieced together in filthy sweatshops decades prior. I started piecing and collaging these together using thread, by hand and machine. Thoughts about using thread and fabric came naturally. It felt so right!


In honor of our women’s issue, who are three women and/or gender nonconforming artists that inspire you?

Only three? So difficult.

Dana Schutz, who makes contemporary work using the traditional elements of paint and canvas. Drawing inspiration from both current and historical sources, and anything and everything that crosses her path, she is unconstrained in her subject matter.

Bisa Butler for her non-painted images using textiles and quilting. She blends her personal heritage and imagery from the past and present into meaningful work. Her choice of materials evokes questions about the nature of fine art.

Lois Dodd for her perseverance in her art practice of observational painting. She is well into her 90s and still paints every day. It has taken years to become the artist that I am today. I hope to live long enough to experience the joy that has finally come to Lois Dodd.