We love a balanced blend of modern and retro so Diane Bellisario's wood veneer mosaics *fit* right in around here.
By combining natural materials and geometric shapes, Diane works with the grain in each sheet of wood, pulling out patterns and textures, creating depth in her hand-cut, hand-laid works – finishing every one with a custom hand-made (of course!) frame.
Diane's work is included in our Wood Group Show, a collection of featured artists that will run through July 10th. The entire collection of works debuts during West Seattle Art Walk on Thursday, June 9th from 5-8p with select pieces available online.
How would you describe what you make?
Contemporary marquetry; my images are more modern vs the traditional images you typically see with marquetry.
What drew you to this medium and style of work?
I have always found wood to be beautiful whether it was a nice piece of furniture or an interesting piece of driftwood on the beach. I took a class on veneer woodworking and instantly fell in love with the medium and the variety of ways you piece together the different wood species to create an interesting piece. I have always enjoyed puzzles and i find this artwork is a different expression of putting together a puzzle.
Can you tell us about your favorite piece in the current collection?
My current favorite is “Spark”. It is decidedly simple looking but was a complex piece to put together and I like how the image is balanced by the different woods in the lower corner that seem to fall off the edge.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Art doesn't have to be limited to those who have professionally studied or have all the fancy tools and materials to work with. Art can be made by anyone.
Can you describe your favorite part of the process in your work?
My favorite part is piecing the image together. I don’t always know what the final product will look like when I start. There is something very fun about laying out various wood species and playing around with different compositions.
What is your most treasured handmade possession?
I have a piece of art that was created by individual paper fibers being made/dyed and then laid down in reverse. Once the paper was dried and turned over it revealed an amazing landscape image. It was also the first piece of art my husband and I purchased together over 23 years ago.
