Artist Statement

Hello! I'm Dianna, a writer based in San Diego currently contemplating roots. Like, where to lay them and how to weave together the different parts of who I am with the environment and my community. While fiction prose is my main craft, I often expand into zine making, linocut printing, and collaging to express myself. I explore the genre of surrealism, discourse on gender, trauma, and race, while being transparent about the accessibility of the materials I use. Ultimately, I create art that serves as moments of escape or reflection for those who seek it. 

 

Exercising curiosity and compassion, I work through topics such as oppressive gender-norms, the hauntological significance of trauma, and issues of race and class. That is to say, a great deal of research goes into the work that I do as I braid together theory and narrative. Aesthetics and writing techniques I include within a piece become footholds for readers to engage in discourse or further immerse themselves in the story as they move freely through it. Readers then have the choice of enjoying the piece as it exists on its own, or they may pursue its depth carefully tilled by me, the plot, and its various characters. 

 

For all my projects, I emphasize using materials that are accessible (free/cheap) or reusable. For example, my collages use images found in magazines bought from thrift stores, old street fliers, and scraps from previous projects. When working digitally, I use the free user level of programs such as Canva and Pixlr in addition to copyright-free stock image sites. I’m currently interested in expanding to other resources like local historical and photographic archives. My intention is to bring in images and histories relevant to the San Diego community in the art created by and for the community. 

 

To create art and share one’s story does not have to mean buying expensive materials or paying into exclusionary pay-walls.