Diane M Kramer

Profile

About the Artist:

Diane Marie Kramer, first generation American, Born in Detroit, Michigan.
Sculptor and Painter.

Education:
After High School I relocated and moved to Northern California where I began a long journey studying the Visual Fine Arts.

Working towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sacramento, CA I studied with many of the “California Funk Artists” like, Peter Vandenberg, Ruth Rippon, Robert Arneson, Yoshio Taylor and Robert Brady.
Following the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, I was accepted to study in Sacramento, and received a Master of Art, concentrating on painting and Clay sculpture. During this study I studied with Oliver Lee Jackson, painter, and was exposed to other well known sculptors and painters work, such as Manuel Neri, Joan Brown, Wayne Thiebaud, and Roy De Forest…to name a few.
In 1989 I was selected to the Master of Fine Arts program in San Francisco and studied with Steven Destabler, a world known sculptor, and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture.
I specialize in mixed media sculpture and abstract assemblages using clay, metals, wood and found objects. This time period was a very experimental phase within my own work.
After completing her Master of Fine Arts degree I decided to move from the city and relocate in the middle of a cherry and walnut orchard where I lived and worked as an artist. I began to teach many forms of visual art at art centers and special art programs and later on worked full time at a day school that used the arts for Behavioral Modification.
I served as the visual artist/instructor on board and worked with people who were cognitively, physically, emotionally, and behaviorally impaired.

I Returned to Michigan in 1997 and has taught at a variety of Art Centers, Colleges, after school programs, and serve as a teaching artist with VSA arts of Michigan.

Teaching related experiences:
I began my teaching career while I was still an undergraduate student at California State University, Sacramento. Since then, I have taught in the arts, and have shown my work in areas such as:
San Francisco, Sacramento, Stockton, St. Louis, Hungary, Ireland, Germany, and now Michigan.

I had taught art classes for five years at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center and taught a variety of subjects. Two Youth Ceramic courses and a youth Mixed media class called, “The Skies the limit” that explores both 2-D and 3-D projects and also teaches an adult course in Abstract Sculpture- “Sculpting from Within” She also, had taught special workshops for educators within the art realm for both West Bloomfield and Birmingham School Districts.

Other classes taught: Introduction to Sculpture, Abstract Sculpture, painting, Drawing, Multi media, watercolor collage, and ceramics to students of all levels whose ages range from children to adolescents to adults in private and public schools as well as universities.
Currently I am serving as a teaching artist under the umbrella of VSA arts of Michigan, teaching people with disabilities.
I was selected to show two sculptures at the 2004 International Fine Arts Festival in Washington D.C. “The Guardian” a clay sculpture and “The vistior” a stainless stell sculpture. I had the privledge of also teaching a workshop for inclusive art teaching for grades 1-3. The participants were principals, teachers and other artist that were from all over the world

Artist Statement:

“Whether somebody is a business person, a teacher, a scientist or an artist, I am working to help them to discover and nurture their particular way of expression, and break through the fears and doubts that block creativity.

Since my early years in California I am working with students to help them tap into their own inner spring of creativity. I am trying to create a non-competitive, supportive and fun atmosphere in which the students can work with various mediums, such as Paints, clay, wire, fiber and wood to create 2-D and 3-dimensional art forms.

It is always exciting to watch somebody to develop new creative skills, expand sensory perception and problem solving, and increase their ability to look at the life around us as exciting and new.

In my classes I am trying to challenge and inspire people to create from within.”

For more photos check out:
http://flickr.com/photos/25386365@N06/