Biography

I have been immersed in creative work for as long as I can remember. My formal art training began in 1981, when I left my childhood home in West Virginia to attend The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I graduated in 1982 with a degree in Visual Communications and later earned a BA in Organizational Management.

My professional career in commercial art spanned over 30 years and included a wide range of creative roles—from designing greeting cards for American Greetings to painting murals for an amusement park, and eventually leading creative teams at a global healthcare company.

In 2012, I retired from the corporate world and entered a new phase of creative self-discovery in the mountains of North Carolina. No matter where I’ve lived, mountains have always felt like old friends—offering calm, inspiration, and a sense of belonging. It was here that I discovered the magical, grounding properties of clay—a medium that has since become central to my artistic practice.

Artist Statement

My work is a continual search for the most authentic way to interpret ideas, while pushing the boundaries of what clay can express and become.

As a child, I was fascinated by the swirling mud beneath frozen puddles. Decades later, I find myself once again playing in the mud—now with an artist’s eye and a deeper understanding of form, function, and intention. Clay reconnects me to that childlike sense of joy, while also challenging me to create work that is thoughtful, useful, and distinctive.

Nature calls me to settle and breathe. Clay calls me to transform.

This messy, tactile medium allows me to fully engage with both the playful and technical aspects of making. Each piece is an opportunity to explore new forms, test new ideas, and deepen my connection to materials and process.

In many ways, I believe we are all like clay—shaped by our surroundings, our experiences, and our openness to change.

• 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

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

So nice to meet you!