Profile

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I am Diana Mead, a fine artist combining my two great passions -  painting and gardening

I trained  at Cardiff College of Art, where I was awarded a National Diploma in Design specialising in fine art watercolours and oils. I was awarded the Ruth Anthony Prize for Life Drawing as a second-year student.
 
Some years later I was awarded  a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Open University specialising in The History of Art and Architecture. This degree and other research formed the basis of my lectures for the Extra-Mural Department at University of Wales, Cardiff where I lectured on Art History and Appreciation for ten years. 

Throughout my career I have worked as a freelance artist specialising in landscape, seascape, architectural drawings and paintings, flowers and, more recently, animals, focusing on British wildlife in its natural habitat as part of my general interest in promoting the importance of our environment and its conservation.

My commission work has centred around these subjects, often combining  them. I have been privileged to provide architectural illustrations for local history books, Penarth Town Trails and other publications. Until recently I edited and provided the illustrations for the Penarth Civic Society quarterly newsletter, which I initiated for the Society in 1979. I was the first woman to be elected Chairman of the Society and was immensely proud to be made an Honorary Member  of the Society.  

I am passionate about helping other artists to develop their own art skills, both technically and emotionally. I taught drawing, watercolours and oils for Adult Education classes for forty years. I am still in touch with some of my old students, many of whom are still painting.

The garden is my other passion. I completely redesigned it in 1999 and have opened it to the public continuously since then as part of The Children's Society Open Garden Trail in Penarth. I was priveleged to open my garden for five years with The National Garden Scheme (The Yellow Book) during this period too. Although my garden is small I like a bit of drama so there are obelisks and some large feature plants. I am an organic gardener, a keen fruit and vegetable grower and enjoy producing some of my own seasonal food. The garden actively supports our bird and insect wildlife too, an essential element of organic gardening. There is great joy in feeding  the bees and birds.

A major area of my artwork is flower painting, many of my "models" are growing in the garden, influencing the design and use of colour. Painting my own flowers gives me invaluable knowledge and understanding of their structure. It makes me even more aware of their fragile, transient beauty.   
In 2014 I got together with two other artists to establish an art shop and gallery, Artisans Corner, Glebe Street, Penarth, selling our own original artwork, prints and cards. We have a talented resident artisan jeweller too.Sadly I have retired from the shop but my solleagues are continuing to well a limited selection of my artwork on a commission basis.