Dianne Kennedy Cruttenden has been creating woven tapestries and clothing since 1970. She has honed her skills over the decades, often carding, dying and spinning her own yarn. Dianne uses only the highest quality materials in her creations. Her hand-dyed yarn achieves a level of vibrancy and saturation that speaks for itself.
After spending the last decade working out of her studio “Sheepish Grin” on Manitoulin Island, Dianne and her husband recently relocated to the charming small town of Fergus, Ontario. Dianne continues to create wonderful Art to Wear as well as unique tapestries to embellish the home and add vibrancy to any space.
Dianne first studied weaving at Sheridan School of Design in Toronto and apprenticed to Master weaver Robert L. Kidd in Michigan during the 1970s. In February of 2015 Dianne completed an internship with world-renowned tapestry artist Maximo Laura. She has taught her weaving skills over the years throughout North America from the Canadian Arctic to the United States.
Dianne’s work has been shown and collected throughout North America at such venues as: The Detroit Institute of Arts, Nuit Blanche 2013 in Ottawa, the Gore Bay Museum in Gore Bay, Ontario, the Textile Museum of Canada, and for many years at her own galleries, The Brick Room Gallery in St. Catharines and The Queen Street Gallery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Artist Statement: As an artist I have chosen the art of weaving, or rather, it chose me. The wool, the looms, all the gorgeous colours and textures, ended up becoming my life’s work and vehicle for my artistic expression. The pieces in this show (Renewal) reflect the years I spent in Northern Ontario. I wish to express the still beauty that seeps into the soul when we allow ourselves to receive what Mother Nature has to offer.
