Meet Diana Pemberton | Textile Artist & Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diana Pemberton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diana, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
Many quotes have stood out to me over the years, but recently one has been on my mind a lot. “Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted in faith.” I’ve had a lot of changes over the past few years, mostly moving across country, and it has impacted the kind of work I make and how I make it. I’ve had a lot of self-doubt, which is something I think all artists and creatives deal with. So, the idea here is to trust yourself. Trust your judgement calls about projects you keep up with or ones you have to cut loose. Trust that the work you are doing now is going to bloom later down the road. Sometimes I want to give up, but then I just circle back to this idea. Check in. Remind myself that not all has been revealed yet.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
In 2017, I established my small textile business Diana Ruth Designs which is mostly comprised of hand-made wearables and functional textile art. Heavily inspired from the time I spent in Japan, specifically studying SAORI weaving. I lived there from 2015-2017 as an assistant English teacher in junior high schools. That experience was incredibly foundational to who I am and my work. My beginning designs were very fluid, funky tops with tons of color and textures from a variety of yarns and fibers I had on hand. I would weave several yards of cloth, changing every half a yard or so, and cut and arrange them into one-of-a-kind wearables. I would sell at markets and fairs in my area and offered weaving workshops on the side. In 2018, I began graduate school at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio specializing in textiles as a studio artist. I was mostly self-taught at the time and wanted to dive deeper into my work. While in the program, unfortunately life happened. I suffered a terrible personal loss the first month of school, which really altered the trajectory of my work at the time. I started thinking much more carefully about materials and made a lot more conceptual work at this time. I introduced soft sculpture into my practice and was thinking a lot more about the ‘art object’ rather than functional work. During this time, I was also the Graduate Teaching Assistant which solidified my passion for teaching that had begun in Japan. A passion that continues today, and I hope always will! Despite the pandemic, I graduated with my MFA in spring of 2020. I unfortunately had no MFA show due to the pandemic, which was crushing, but a feeling shared across the globe during that time. However, life keeps moving, and so must we.

My most recent solo show, Deathland and Dreamscapes, focused on the duality between birth and life, particularly within liminal spaces. These are transitory spaces in which transition and metamorphosis happens. Nature has so many examples of these: cocoons, nests, wombs, the way spiders mummify their prey… Dealing with deep grief has made me confront these concepts. When something is in your face like that, it’s hard not to pay attention to it. That event really shaped my art making processes and how I use materials in a meaningful way. People say things happen for a reason. I disagree. Life happens, that includes good and bad, but it’s up to the individual to choose what to do after something happens. It’s not easy, anyone who has suffered can tell you that, but I am learning how to recognize when to rest and when to hustle.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, of course I’d take them to the mountains! I moved to Colorado fall of 2022, so I’m still a newbie to the area, but you can’t come to Denver without seeing the Rockies. Hiking would be a must, plus visiting a small mountain town is so much fun. I’d of course take them to Meow Wolf, what an awesome interactive art experience! With some really great artists. Plus, it’s around the corner from my studio. Next, I would take the to the Denver Botanical Gardens. It’s a stunning garden and I love plants to put it frankly. My father was an ornamental horticulturist in his career, and my mom a plant pathologist. I come by it naturally. Later, we would hit the thrift and vintage stores on South Broadway, grab a Voodoo doughnut, Japanese food at Sushi Den, or birria tacos at my favorite taco truck located in Lakewood, Pancho’s Birria y Mas. I feel like we would be amiss to not get a good beer, so I would definitely take them to a local brewery. I have yet to find my favorite! Next, we would trek up to Boulder. Pearl Street has a lot of charm, but my favorite place there is the Dunshabe Teahouse. It was built by Tajikistan artisans as a gift from Boulder’s sister city. I actually went to Japan through a sister city program in my hometown of Tyler, TX, so that kind of global community is so important to me. The teahouse is just stunning, and the tea and food is top-notch. A must see. There is one last thing I would share. When I came to visit one of my own best friends here, she took me to the Celestial Seasonings factory. They do tours, and have tea samples, plus you can take a photo with the iconic sleeping bear. They have an entire room dedicated to their peppermint tea leaves, and as a friend described to me, the smell feels like you’re taking the first breath of your life. It’s intoxicating.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Well, I first want to acknowledge my dear friend Addie Moore. She has been so encouraging and supportive of my creative work and has helped find me opportunities – like this interview! I can’t thank anyone before I thank my parents. My mom and dad have been on my side and supported my alternative path every step. We are consistently learning that our home life has such an immense impact on who we are and how we interpret the world. They have put nothing but patience, love and support into raising me and my brother. They always end up buying a piece at my shows! Not all parents would do those things for their children, and I count myself lucky.

Website: www.thedianaruth.com

Instagram: @thedianaruth @dianaruthdesigns