I make paintings as a form of magical practice and quiet protest. Drawing inspiration from alchemy, folklore and the natural world, I use gouache and small brushes to communicate feelings, imagine portals to other worlds, and find stillness through colour, symbolism, texture, landscapes, and friends from the more than human world.
Often venturing to far flung islands, I will let myself get lost gathering stones and bones and feathers and mythology and meaning and feelings from beaches and hills and wind and seabirds. These are repeated images in my practice. Collected carefully and mulled over, I combine them with ingredients from celtic mythology and alchemy to process and express feelings I often feel overwhelmed by.
Grief, anger, hopelessness over the biodiversity crisis and breakdown of the natural world that we are living through, and most people don't notice or care about. The frustration and loneliness of being a neurodivergent woman in a capitalist society. The peace and joy of being held by community. The stillness of practice. All of these are current themes in my work.
I'm originally from Aotearoa, lived in London for a long time and have settled in Stockport with my partner, a cat and a garden. It is a bit further from the ocean than I'd like, so I vanish whenever I can to Angelsey or Scotland to seek solitude and inspiration, and to sleep beside the ocean and hear her voice in my dreams.
My studio is at PINK Manchester, where I spend more time rearranging my collection of seaglass and stones, staring a the clouds and watching the magpies strut on the rooftops than I do painting.
But I do paint, and you are welcome to visit sometime.
To reach out please email dianneohdeer (at) gmail (dot) com