Diane Tierney
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My Story
“My work is inspired by nature, which I see as the ultimate artist.”
My name is Diane Tierney and I am a maker and jewelry designer.
For as far back as I can recall, I have been a maker. As a child, I would see objects that I liked and try to decipher how to make them myself. One of the many things I made as a child was dollhouses. I would create dollhouses from used boxes and I would make doll clothes by hand. My mother always encouraged me to be creative. She would buy whatever art supplies I needed to make my next project. She also taught me embroidery, sewing, and knitting while my grandmother taught me crocheting. Later, in my teens, I taught myself macrame after reading my brother’s boy scout handbook on knots. The first creations I sold were my macrame jewelry at local craft shows. Oil painting, ceramics, and sewing are a few other art styles that I took classes for. Eventually I studied art at the University of Connecticut.
Needless to say, my creative journey has been layered. My current creative pursuits began when I started collecting sea glass from the beaches of Rhode Island. Then, a friend of mine showed me how to make a simple wire wrap. I learned how to wrap the wire on the sea glass, so that the glass functioned as a pendant. I have been happily creating sea glass jewelry ever since.
I made a living in the financial industry but now that I am retired, I can focus on my love of arts and crafts full time. This newfound time has allowed me to grow my jewelry collection. I now create pieces containing sea glass from the Caribbean Islands, Bermuda, Prince Edward Island, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and Spain; though I have not been to all of these places, I have purchased sea glass online that comes from some of these locations.
My work is inspired by nature, which I see as the ultimate artist. One of the periods of art that I take inspiration from is the art nouveau period. The art nouveau period occurred from 1890 to 1910. The art from this period contained many long, curvy lines that ornately decorated paintings, architecture, and other artwork. These same characteristics show in my sea glass jewelry; I love making swirly lines and organic shapes. Though this is one period I take inspiration from, I ultimately like to experiment with many different styles. I do not have just one theme in my work.
One of the obstacles I face in creating my jewelry is being too tight with designs. Sometimes, I have to force myself to loosen up and let the wire take its own shape. I find that if I force things, the design does not flow as easily and the actual handiwork can be difficult.
When I work, I try to keep things organized but it does not always stay that way. I love to keep my space sorted but once I start creating, I find that my space starts to look dysfunctional. I grab a piece from one place, turn around to get another piece from somewhere else, and before I know it, everything is mixed up. When all the pieces mix together, I jokingly call this ‘bead soup.’ The silver lining of this disorganization is the blossom of new ideas. When the colors are all mixed together, I see combinations that I would have never thought to make.
The ultimate goal of my art is to create special pieces that will touch people. I want people to say ‘Wow’ when they first see my work. I strive to create wearable art for people and I hope that they see it as art as well, not just an accessory. I hope that whoever wears my jewelry will treasure it whenever they wear it. It is such a joy for me to create and I hope that it is equally as joyful for others to wear my handmade jewelry.
Be blessed,
Diane