Artist: Diane Kenney
Diane Kenney
View artist's current work here
An excerpt from an interview with Keeney Posted 25th May 2018 by Walter Gallacher on Immigrant Stories, an online blog:
Intro: In 1997, Diane Kenney opened the Carbondale Clay Center and invited people, of all ages, to come make something with their hands. And over the last twenty years the Center has attracted children, students, teachers and artists from up and down the Valley and across the United States by offering high quality ceramic arts programs.
Kenney: My ancestors are from Germany and Luxemburg on my mother’s side and straight one hundred percent Irish on my father’s side. That’s where I got my name and my craziness.
From Carbondale Clay:
"Kenney has been a potter for almost 50 years. She accidentally stumbled upon clay in the early seventies, and fell in love. Kenny’s most intensive training in clay was during her two and a half years at the KC art Institute as an “older” student. Over the years, Kenney built (with help) and fired a reduction kiln in KC; a raku kiln briefly at CRMS; a wood-fired kiln in Colorado with fellow potter, Peggy Malloy; and a soda kiln, with help of Blair Meerfeld and Trevor Dunn. Additionally, she has deeply explored terra cotta electric firing for Majolica and slip glazed work, briefly including tile installations. After many years of atmospheric firing, Kenney is reverting to terra cotta work. Production is limited these days.
Kenney’s work was featured in a 1995 issue of Ceramics Monthly, and also included in various ceramic arts books. She participated in NCECA for many years, and many juried and invitational shows around the county, even winning a few awards here and there.
“I am very happy that I have been able to work doing what I loved all these years. I am especially grateful that I was able to give birth to the Carbondale Clay Center (with enormous help and funding). Creating community through clay and promoting excellence in the ceramic arts are what has motivated me for many, many years.”