Biography

My name is Dalleen, (Dal-lean, third daughter of George-Dallas and Harriett. Clever parents!). So nice to meet you!

I've been immersed in some sort of creative effort since childhood. My formal art training began in 1981 when I left my childhood home in West Virginia for art school. I graduated from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh in 1982, and later earned a BA in Organizational Management. As a commercial artist, I did everything from designing greeting cards for American Greetings, painting murals at an Amusement park, and leading creative staff at a Global Healthcare Company.

In 2012, after 30 years of working in Visual Communications, I retired and began a phase of self-discovery in the mountains of North Carolina. No matter the state, mountains feel like old friends, inspiring creativity with their peaks and valleys. This is where I found the magical properties of clay.

Artist Statement

My work is a constant search for the best way to interpret ideas while pushing myself to challenge the limitations of clay.

As a child, I remember jumping in ice-covered mud puddles, fascinated by the swirling mud beneath. Decades later, I find myself once again playing in the mud with the same simple joy of a child but also with an experienced focus on form and function. Nature calls me to settle and breathe; clay calls me to be something new and often something useful.

This messy, playful medium allows me to immerse myself in this art form while pushing me to explore and develop practical yet distinctive works.

Aren't we all somewhat like clay, formed by our surroundings and experiences?

-dalleen

• Juried member of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild, 2025

• Chosen to create Abbott Laboratories, Women's Leadership Award, 2025.
  Award recognizes Women Leaders within this Fortune 500 company.

• Awarded the Betty Taylor Memorial Award for Emerging Artists, 2024

• Black and White show, honorable mention, 2024