Dianne Chapman

Artist Statement

Artist Statement: Deep Time Mixed Media Mosaics

My artistic practice is born from the dual journey of an artist and a fossil hunter, bridging the raw physical act of field exploration with a fine art mosaic composition. My process begins in the landscape: I paddle and sift Florida’s riverways—primarily in the tea-colored currents of the Peace River—wade into the Gulf for coastal finds, or travel even out-of-state to dig for quartz crystals in Arkansas or split slate from Utah to reveal hidden prehistoric trilobites. I extract ancient relics, including prehistoric bones, teeth, and fossilized echinoids, dating back millions of years.
Once back in my studio, I act as a curator of the record. I maintain a vast material library that serves as a treasure-hunter’s laboratory. Here, these "first-touch" relics are meticulously woven together as varied tesserae, such as lithic coral flakes, golden calcite clams from Rucks Pit, fossils, weathered driftwood, and river stones. I contrast these organic materials against vibrant contemporary palettes of smalti, stained glass, beads, found objects, metal, and even reclaimed ceramics excavated from an artisan's yard. Within each mosaic, the mortar serves as the fundamental structural and narrative bond. This atypical juxtaposition of disparate eras and textures allows me to puzzle together complex, multi-dimensional environments, ultimately creating a permanent artistic record that breathes new life into once extinct items.

My visual and conceptual vocabulary is deeply influenced by natural history and the changing geological strata of the American landscape. I draw intense inspiration from the stark visual contrasts found within shifting environments—such as ancient river fossils naturally stained dark by centuries of river tannins and clay, juxtaposed directly against the pristine, matte white surface of a coastal sand dollar found on a modern saltwater beach. In coastal folklore, these fossilized sand dollars are known as "mermaid coins"—sacred tokens of luck and abundance withdrawn from the river’s treasury. Tracing my path from the riverbed to the ocean shore, the moving waters connect these distinct environments and dictate rich color palettes.
Conceptually, my creative approach is heavily shaped by my professional background in Art Education and Early Childhood Development. My career in fostering early curiosity drives me to use my art to cultivate that same sense of "first-time discovery." I am influenced by the raw, innate human urge to explore, look more closely, and seek answers in the physical world around us.

The core themes of my work explore Deep Time, the Earth's memory, and a process I define as a "Sifter’s Alchemy"—the physical and spiritual transformation of raw, weathered elements into a sacred visual narrative. Whether from a layered stratigraphic layout, such as my multi-layered Stratal Series, or a mixed blend from my Sifting Series, I visually map the rhythmic, cyclical nature of time, where ancient artifacts are buried, washed away, and eventually pulled back to the surface.
By highlighting these mixed materials and sensory dynamics, including the shiny brilliance of contemporary glass that reflects sharply against the weathered, matte surfaces of ancient fossils, my mosaics bridge the spaces between what was and what is. My work explores how life’s chaotic transitions can be woven into a beautiful, unified whole. Ultimately, these pieces invite viewers to tap into their own deep sense of inquisitiveness, prompting them to contemplate the endless possibilities and the mysteries still waiting to be discovered right beneath our feet. Because at the end of the day, "I dig art."