Community Connection:

Diane Phillips, Fiber Artist

Diane Phillips has pursued creativity all of her life, and believes that there is always more to learn. She started her fiber arts journey as a child, learning the rudiments of knitting, sewing, and embroidery. Her mother, who dabbled in these without proficiency, encouraged Diane to create, allowing her the freedom to explore. At one point, Diane had covered every white fabric in the house with embroidery, even her father’s underwear! Over time, Diane tried rug hooking, with her first project following a pattern. Since then, she’s been experimenting and making her own designs, while seeking new methods to tweak a process. She inherited the urge to constantly create from her father, and finds that solving artistic problems is a journey that she relishes.

Diane’s rug hook work has been featured in exhibits, articles, and books, and though she has taught numerous classes, occasionally studies with others to discover new techniques. She has also authored a book, Loose Threads, that follows stories of a fabric artist, complete with templates and photos for projects. Texture and color speak to Diane, inspiring the organic flow of her fiber work. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down and consequently decreased the number of shows, and combined with the reality of machine made goods available en masse, Diane has made changes. She and artist Gayle Torrey collaborate to make artfully fashioned bags. Rugs are the mainstay of Diane’s art, but she revels in the process of discovery and is currently processing old silk ties to colorfully dye white wool for fun and for projects. Every day there is a new creation, with some unfinished, but there is always the next thing. 

In a recent move from her Rochester studio, Diane discovered the flexibility of working from home (in her bathrobe if she chooses), though she regularly visits her artist friends and attends their exhibits. After the move, she donated items to SewGreen, where she occasionally volunteers. Diane’s storage solutions for her work space are as mesmerizing as her artwork, and reflect her need to be able to see everything. Diane is pleased to make art in the comfort of the home that she shares with her husband and their four chihuahuas. Her life as an artist is an inspiration, and Diane is excited for the next creative adventure.