Biography
Diane Collins, Born 1964, Biloxi Mississippi
SOLO EXHIBITS
2019 Cerulean Arts Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Crane Arts Building Studio 214, Philadelphia, PA
2006 Kendrick Mill Studio, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Artists’ House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2001 Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY
2001 Artists’ House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2000–2003 Open Studios Tour, Philadelphia, PA
2000 Artists’ House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1999 Artists’ House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
GROUP SHOWS
2024 National Juried Museum Exhibition, AWA Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO
2024 American Women Artists, Annual Online Juried Exhibition
2024, 25 91st Annual Awards Exhibition, Brook Green Gardens, SC, Indianapolis Art Center, NSS, NYC
2023 CraftForms Juried International Exhibition, Wayne, PA
2022 WAC, Juried Regional Exhibition, Best In Show, Wayne, PA
2021 PA Academy Fellowship Juried Exhibition, Honorable Menion, Gross McCleaf, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Cerulean Arts Gallery Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA
2018 The Barnes Foundation “Let’s Connect Exhibition” Top 20, Philadelphia PA
2017 Cerulean Arts 4th Annual Juried Exhibition, Philadelphia, PA
2017 Stanek Gallery Invitational “Animal I Become,” Philadelphia, PA
2017 InLIquid Benefit Exhibition, The IceBox, Philadelphia, PA
2014 Rosenfeld Gallery, “Art Alibi and the Anonymous We” Invitational, Philadelphia, PA
2012 Artists of the Redwoods, Mateel Gallery, Garberville, CA
2006–2009 PAFA Faculty Exhibit, Philadelphia, PA
2006 Wayne Art Center, Faculty Exhibit, Wayne, PA
2006 Chestnut Hill Garden Show, Philadelphia, PA
2005 Allens Lane Art Center, Mount Airy, PA
2005 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Art Faculty Exhibit, Philadelphia, PA
2004 Main Line Art Center Faculty Show, Haverford, PA
2000 J. Funk Fine Art Gallery, Toledo, OH
1998 Artists’ House Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1996–1997 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts ASE, Philadelphia, PA
1994 Four Seasons Hotel, Philadelphia, PA
1982 Brandywine River Museum, Chadds Ford, PA
Represented by: Werring Contemporary, Phoenixville, PA
Tel: 215-410-9003
MONUMENTAL PROJECTS
2017 African Nymph, Temple University, Ambler Arboretum, Philadelphia PA
2018–Present Assistant to Zenos Frudakis, NDAs apply
Consultant, Structural Assistant and Modeling Assistant
Cinderella Man (gloves and shoes), James J. Braddock County Park, New Bergen, NJ (shoes, suits, ties and accessories—Engineers)
Mises, Knight, Jack Kilby (shoes, suit, accessories), University of Texas, Dallas
Thomas Paine (under contract with DC National Parks)
Zelens Gorbachev (Private Commission) life-size 10 figures
Graphic Backdrops, Modeling Support
Michael Yon, Lotus Club
Jacques Pépin (Private Commission)
Willam Coleman, National Constitution Center, Philadelphia PA, (¾ life-size)
Animal Anatomy, Modeling and Design Consultation
28′ Elmwood Park Zoo Fountain—assisted with maquette design, small studies and enlargement modeling of 1.5 x life-size 4 figures, doe, buck, fawn and jaguar up to 10′
AWARDS AND HONORS
2024 Cheryl and Frank Newby Award NSS, 2023, 2024 Lyme Academy Invitational Sculptor’s Retreat
2021 Honorable Mention PAFA Fellowship Show, Gross McCleaf, 2023 Best in Show, WAC Juried
Regional, 1996 William Emlen Cresson Memorial Travel Scholarship, four months independent study
Abroad, Ward Prize in Sculpture. Work in private collections in the northeastern U.S., California, London, Tokyo, Barcelona, Sydney and the Philippines.
Western Art and Architecture, October–November 2024
Connections Magazine with Cover Art, April 2006, Interview
Scott Robinson PHD, TSSF, February 2016
EDUCATION
1989–1997 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1996 University of Siena, Summer Architecture via NJIT, Siena, Italy
1985–1991 Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA
1983–1985 Hussian School of Art, Philadelphia, PA
INSTRUCTION
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA (2005–present)
Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia, PA (2017–present)
Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA (2006–2008)
Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA (2004–2006)
Allens Lane Art Center, Philadelphia, PA (2005)
Mount Airy Learning Tree, Philadelphia, PA (2003–2005)
Private Instruction (2003–present)
INDEPENDENT WORK AND WORKSHOPS
2024 Firedance Studio, Modeled 6″ female Narcissus figure for decorative hand-held mirror
2018, 2021–2024 Frudakis Studio, Monumental Figure Modeling Assistant, Glenside, PA
2017 Philadelphia Flower Show, Figurative Contributor to Award Winning Display, Philadelphia, PA
2007 “Art, Nature, Spirit” lecture and workshop, Ring Lake Ranch, Dubois, WY
2007 Direct Wax Workshop, PAFA, Philadelphia, PA
SPECIAL SKILLS
Figure Modeling
Animal Anatomy
Welding
Construction
Home Renovation
Masonry Restoration
Mold Making
Foundry
Computer Graphics
Studied under Gerald Hoepfner
Painting Conservationist (2004-2008)
Studied under Cesar Rufo, Numismatist (1986–1989)
INSPIRATION
In 2008, I purged my belongings and traveled solo across the U.S. in an ’83 Chevy Suburban that I converted to a camper. I settled in Northern California, living off the grid with only 15 watts of energy, managing 40 pristine acres of land. I sketched, sculpted, worked the garden, cut down and split wood to stay warm, managed the springs and horses on the property. While there I strengthened my intuitive skills and had safe, close encounters with brown bear, cougar and other wildlife thanks to that intuition. My only companion was my 127-pound dog. The experience capitalized on my previous trip with my Navajo teacher in 2003, when I did a two-week vision quest out West that initiated the rebirth of my childhood intuition after 12 years of being closed off. By reconnecting with the best of my origins, my artwork was sparked to greater clarity and my drive cleared of decades of obstacles.