As children many of us played with paper dolls, carefully cutting out with scissors the paper costumes, placing them over the cardboard dolls and folding down the white tabs.
In this series paper dolls become the metaphor and fabric a new palette, which I use to explore physical, emotional and intellectual perspectives about what it means to be human in our complex world, and how we reveal and conceal ourselves inside the ’second skin’ of clothing.
Fabrics run the gamut from gorgeous and subtle, to brilliant and outrageous. I consider these portraits collaborations, blending creative fabric design with acrylic settings and human forms. Through collage I want to echo the the fabrics’ patterns, strength and beauty in often vibrant backgrounds that envelop and embrace the subjects in their time, mood and place.
Diana received her Honours BFA at the University of Victoria and and now lives in Chemainus, B.C.
www.dianadurrand.com