Diana Fayt Workshop

Drawing a Line

Diana Fayt will conduct this three day, hands-on workshop devoted to drawing and painting on three dimensional surfaces. Participants will explore composition which is not limited by edges and boundaries, taking into consideration all aspects of the three dimensional surface. The class will address how to transfer your images onto clay surfaces without sophisticated drawing skills.

Diana's daily demonstrations will include using molds to build simple forms, surface applications such as layering of slips and underglazes to create rich fields of color, drawing on and in the clay, the use of oxides, firing strategies, and tips and tricks to obtaining clean crisp lines in clay. The workshop will delve into of elements of design, and how to push the boundaries and see your pieces as limitless surfaces for expressing your visual ideas.

Diana will also discuss and demonstrate other ceramic mediums and processes to create rich and interesting surfaces on your three dimensional forms, using things like cardboard letter stencils and old letterpress typeface.

Class size 18

Diana Fayt Artist Bio

Diana Fayt was born in Los Angeles, California and has lived in Northern California for most of her life. In 1983 she spent a year living with family in Budapest, Hungary and when returning began her journey towards her career as an artist. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Ceramics and Printmaking from the College of Arts (and Crafts) in 1992. In 1994 she developed a process with ceramics in which she combines all of her loves; drawing, painting, printmaking and clay and refers to it as "as etchings in clay." She has also dabbled in ceramic design and created a line of tabletop ceramic ware in 1999 and most recently has ventured into graphics and illustration. Diana is both a traveler and a lover of home. She gleans inspiration from nature, the mundane and life's stories. Her ceramic pieces are often narrative with marks of time, events and images seen and experienced and then drawn into the surface of her clay platters bowls and vases. By doing this she hopes to leave a permanent mark that expresses her vision of what she experiences in the world around her. Diana currently exhibits her work in galleries and fine boutiques throughout the United States, Japan, Australia and Europe

Diana Fayt Artist Statement

A white crane dropped an inky haired child on a doorstep in Sunnyvale, California in 1964. Swaddled in clean rags, the child was absorbed into the bonds of a Hungarian family by the name of Fayt. The name Diana was chosen to honor the bright October moonlit night the child had arrived.

Diana's parents are resourceful people from an old world. Diana, an introspective child, watched her mother make clothes from whole cloth and assisted in hand cranking pork sausages in their garage. Her father, an intensely quiet person, was a tool and die man of great precision who later went on to make jewelry.

Diana craved independence from an early age and found a job at fourteen at a hardware store. It was a creaky old-fashioned store run by a fine Italian family. She enjoyed the small drawers filled with sundry nuts and bolts. In winter, she gift wrapped large household appliances with deft skill.

She graduated to spinning pizzas in Santa Cruz at the time of her emancipation. 'Mirror in the Bathroom' played on the radio a lot and people wore assymetrical haircuts, belts around sweaters and multiple rubber bracelets. Diana was not fond of this decade anymore than she was of the swinging 'find yourself' decade that preceded it.

It was then that Diana decided to explore her origins and traveled to Hungary. There she lodged with distant relatives and learned the language of her people with her six year-old cousin as her primary tutor. She explored Communist Hungary with a pack former circus stars who drove an old Cadillac, frequented burlesque shows and liked to "Boogie."

Returning to the States, she made her way cocktailing at a ski resort for cocaine cowboys. She lived on a mountain in isolation. She did not care for the snowstorms that raged inside and outside the lodge.

Fleeing with the arrival of the first thaw, she embarked upon a coastal bicycle trip with a bearded boy from New Hampshire. A year later they tackled the East coast, eventually reaching a fork in the road. Diana landed in Berkeley and became au pair for two toe headed children. It was while she was an au pair that she first set foot in a ceramics studio, visiting with another au pair who was taking a class. She knew immediately that she had found her home. She enrolled in a class but never finished because (in her own words), "I could never find parking." She attempted another class apparently within walking distance and completed the course.

Diana entered the California College of Arts and Crafts. She experimented with printmaking and ceramics and by the end of her four years, had initiated the course toward her present work.

Moving to S.F. in the early nineties, Diana has made her way as a server in restaurants while cultivating her artistic vision. Diana has made her home at Firefly Restaurant for a decade, where she is well regarded for her knowledge of corn pone and corn smut and other esoteric foods.

It is at Firefly where she met businesswoman Maggie Nugent of Synergy Designs, a ceramics wholesale outfit. Diana began designing for Synergy shortly thereafter. Her tenure with Synergy sent her back to Hungary, a factory in Hodmezovasarhely (Beavertown) where the Diana Fayt collection was produced. The work was imported and sold in the U.S.

Diana has continued to produce her own enigmatic work and has had solo shows in the U.S. and Tokyo, has been featured in several Japanese publications and continues to sell her work here and abroad. Diana is a member of the Clay and Glass Association in California. She resides in San Francisco.

Diana Fayt Artist Resume

EDUCATION

2005 City College, San Francisco, CA Computer Graphics
1989-1992: California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA Bachelor of Fine Arts, Degree in Ceramics with Distinction
1985-1986: U.C. Berkeley Extension, San Francisco, CA Photography, Drawing, Graphic Design
1982-1983: Cabrillo College, Aptos, CA General Education

EXPERIENCE

2009 California College of Arts, Oakland, CA Guest Speaker
2009 Mills College, Oakland, CA Guest Speaker
2009 Blue Shield of California, San Francisco, CA Guest Speaker
2005-2009 Heath Ceramics, Sausalito, CA Instructor, "Print Maker's Tiles"
2005-2006 Studio At Brick House Farm, NY Studio Manager, Program Coordinator, Instructor
2005 California College of Arts, Oakland, CA Guest Speaker
2003 California College of Arts, Oakland, CA Guest Speaker
2002-2007 Notebooks Ltd, Tokyo, Japan Textile, Stationary Designer
1999-2003 Synergy Designs, San Francisco, CA Ceramics Designer
1999: Penland School of Crafts, Penland, NC Teaching Assistant "Drawing on the Environment"
1992-1996 Artist n Residence- Out Reach" program, Docent, Teacher Training Program, Teen Drawing Instructor
1995: Berkalter Elementary School, Oakland, CA Visiting Artist
1993: Mac Ateer High School, San Francisco, CA Visiting Artist
1993: Meriloma Elementary School, San Francisco, CA Artist in Residence

PUBLICATIONS

2009: Ceramics Monthly, Cover Feature
2009: American Craft, Obamaware, USA
2009: San Francisco Kitchens, Paumes, Japan
2008: In Style Magazine, USA
2008: Australian Home, Australia
2008: Australian House Beautiful, Australia
2008: Choosing and Using Paper, Roto Publications,UK
2008: Las Vegas Home and Design, Nevada
2007: Selvedge, UK
2007: Sunset Magazine, USA
2007: San Francisco Chronicle, CA
2007: Craft Magazine
2006: Domino Magazine
2006: Amica, Italy
2006: Dinner Where, New York
2005: 7 X 7, San Francisco
2005: Sunset Magazine, USA
2004: Lee, Japan
2004: Zakka, Japan
2004: Zakka, Japan
2003: 7 X 7, San Francisco
2002: Sunset Magazine, USA
2002: Watasi, Japan
2001: Madame Figaro, Japan
2001: Anion, Japan
2001: Olive, Japan
2001: Watasi, Japan
2001: Arkansas Home, Arkansas
2001: Talcotts Home Style, USA
2001: ZAKKA, Japan
1999: California Interiors, Taschen Books, Koln, Germany
1998: The San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner, CA
1997: The Portrero View,San Francisco, CA
1997: Palo Alto Cultural Center Newsletter, Palo Alto, CA

EXHIBITIONS

2009: "The Animal Within", Brenau University, GA Group Show
2009: 'Bay Area Pottery Posse', Mudfire, Decatur, GA Group Show & Guest Curator
2009: 'Made in Clay', Greenwich House, New York, NY Group Show & Benefit Auction
2009: Lark and Key Gallery, Featured Potter, Charlotte NC Group Show
2009: 'To Have and to Hold', Kohler Art Center, WI Group Show
2008: 'Obamaware' Online Auction, Group Show & Benefit Auction
2008: 'The Artful Tabletop' All Fired Up, West Chester, NY Group Show
2008: 'Circle of Eight', Lark and Key Gallery, Charlotte, NC Group Show
2008: Warm Springs Gallery, Virginia Solo Show
2008: 'Song Catcher', Lark and Key Gallery, Charlotte, NC Group Show
2008: 'Line and Color', Mudfire, Decatur, GA Group Show
2008: NCECA 'La Mesa', Pittsburgh, Pa Group Show
2007: 'Folklore' Candy Store, San Francisco, CA Solo Show
2007:' Black and White' Xen Gallery, St Louis, MO Solo Show
2006: 'In the Shed' Classic Country, Chatham, NY Solo Show
2006: Berkshire Craft Fair, Great Barrington, MA Group Show
2005: Julie's Coffee and Tea Garden Alameda, CA Solo Show
2003, Spiral Market, ,Tokyo,Japan Solo Show
2002: Dining by Design, DIFFA/Elle Decor, San Francisco, CA Featured Artist
2002: Maison d'Etre, Berkeley, CA Solo Show
2001: Fog, Tokyo,Japan Solo Show
2001: Feats of Clay XIV, Lincoln, CA Group Show
2001: Viewpoint Ceramics, Hyde Gallery, CA Group Show
2000: ArtVibe Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA Group Show
2000: 'Home Showcase' San Francisco, CA Group Show
2000:S0MAR Gallery, San Francisco, CA Open studios
2000: Craft & Folk Art Museum Store, San Francisco, CA Solo Show 1999: 'The Bug Show' Obsidian Gallery,Tucson, AZ Group Show
1999: 'Side Walk Poems' Maison d'Etre, San Francisco, CA Solo Show
1999:'National Crafts' Lancaster Museum of Art, Pa Group Show
1998: Bella Donna, San Francisco, CA Solo Show
1998: Rivaga Art, Washington, DC Group Show
1998: SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, CA Open studios
1998: Sausalito Art Festival, Sausalito, CA
1998: Mills Building, San Francisco, CA CCAC Alumni Show
1997: SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, CA Open studios
1996: SOMAR Gallery, San Francisco, CA Open studios
1996: Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA Faculty Show
1995: Faculty Show
1994: The Clay Studio, San Francisco, CA Group Show
1994: Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA Docent Program, Exhibit, 'Dream Windows' Group Show
1993: De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
1993: Print Exhibit, Youth Arts Festival Group Show

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