Beginning with Kindergarten all of Diana Kennedy's report cards expressed the same concern. "Diana has trouble sitting still, following directions, or focusing upon her assignments. However she is a happy child who gets along well with others." Because none of her teachers had a logical explanation for the purpose of 'telling time', she did not acquire that skill until the forth grade. She still prefers to live in the moment.
Diana began to draw as soon as she could hold a crayon. However, her first crayon mural was not well received; In fact it became highly controversial as to how she should be spending her nap time. Diana limited her work to drawing on paper for the next decade until her public was ready to receive this contribution of self expression. By High School she was invited to paint a mural for the Mt. Diablo School District.
“The space was a short narrow hall way with two huge gray metal doors. The children went to there to have their hearing tested. They were hesitating, if not terrified, to go through those metal doors. Each child had to be reassured it would be OK to enter the strange little room. The instructor asked if something could be done?
After painting brightly colored images taken from the Peter Max version of the Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' across the metal doors I witnessed a dramatically different impact. The children were excited and happy to have their hearing tested. By adding Art into the community it had transformed their traumatic experience into a fun adventure.”
Diana Kennedy graduated Long Beach State University 1981 with a Bachelors Degree in Art. She remains a High School drop out (because the State of California balanced their budget by cutting out the High Schools Arts Program). A world without self expression seemed completely out of balance. Luckily the Mt. Diablo Junior College had an excellent Fine Arts program for her journey to continue.
She agrees whole wholeheartedly with Leonardo DaVinci's belief in that one simply never stops learning how to draw. It is a life long pursuit that will never be fully mastered. Which is why, when someone refers to her Art as 'gifted' or 'talented', she simply laughs. It is, and always will, be 'hard core work'. If it wasn't a disciplined endeavor then everyone would be doing art, or brain surgery, or becoming astronauts. It's all relevant to sitting still, following directions, and focusing upon solutions. Each and every day presents a challenge with something new to learn. For that, Diana is profoundly grateful.
“I believe creating Art is a process of self discovery. One must turn them selves inside out, and then share what they have learned. That is the real gift from one person to another. Much like the Hindu greeting when two people meet, they place their hands together to symbolize ‘The God in me greets the God in you.’ If something along my journey sparks your imagination then I am truly blessed.”
Diana Kennedy
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| Degrees: |
| Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art, Long Beach State University 1981 |
| AA Degree, Diablo Valley Junior College |
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| One Person Gallery Shows: |
| Concannon Vineyards, CA |
| Bucci's/Emeryville, CA |
Lafayette Square,
The Coffee House, CA |
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| Group Shows: |
| Wente Brother's Winery |
| Walnut Creek Clay Arts Guild |
| Ygnacio Valley High School |
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| Member of: |
Roseville Arts,
Roseville, California |
The Watercolor Society,
Northern California |
The Clay Arts Guild,
Walnut Creek |
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| Experience: |
Art Director/Commercial Illustrator/Copy Writer/Marketing Manager,
Kennedy & Kennedy Advertising |
| Student Teacher, Danville Elementary School District |
| Picture Framer |
Printing Shop, Pre-press Prep
& Sales |
| Director of Contractors Testing Service School |
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