Meet Diane Delaney | Ceramic Artist and Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Diane Delaney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Diane, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
It’s funny, how circular life can be. As a child I spent hours after school exploring the woods by our house in Clearwater, Florida–full of cactus, oak hammocks, and streams. Years later, when I returned to the states after living abroad in Iran and Venezuela, I was shocked by the lack of urgency to address global environmental issues. In 1985 I organized the first of twelve GlobeScope National Assemblies, in Portland, Oregon, to focus attention on the concept of Sustainable Development and global issues such as Climate Change. In 2016 we retired in Tempe, Arizona, only 4 hours away from my favorite destination in the United States — the Chiricahua Mountains. I’ve spent months there each year, watching wildlife and photographing nature in the Sonoran Desert foothills and Cave Creek Canyon. I became a ceramic artist to showcase the diversity and beauty that I have witnessed. I hope each sculpture brings joy and a deeper appreciation and understanding of nature. Plus, a percentage of all art sales at Friendship Village Studio events, such as the Christmas Art Fair on November 10-11, benefits the Alzheimer Association of Arizona.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Transforming clay into unique hand-built sculpture is my passion. Influenced by nature, each piece is shaped using the coil, pinch, and/or slab method. Originally from Florida, I grew up in an artistic household, encouraged by my mother—a watercolor, acrylic, and ceramic artist. However, my route to creating my own “Art” was rather circuitous.
I’ve had a variety of careers in the education, tourism, and sustainable development fields for both for-profit and non-profit organizations and directed our consulting firm.
However, travel has been my touchstone. I lived in Iran and Venezuela for over a decade while visiting countries throughout the world. Along the way I’ve had some amazing adventures, from riding my Arab Stallion in the desert, being among the first travelers to enter Nepal, climbing Roraima Tepui, exploring the Galapagos Islands and Amazon Basin, scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, and taking a one-year jeep safari throughout South America.
During this time, I enriched my life with art, primarily photography and oil painting. While living in Portland, I furthered my artistic pursuits at the Oregon College of Arts and Crafts. But it was our move to Arizona and visits to the Chiricahua Mountains that uncovered my love of clay.
Today I am a resident Ceramic Artist and Instructor at Friendship Village’s Art Studios in Tempe, Arizona. Through my business, Diane Delaney ClayNature, I offer:
• Bouquets—with vases full of bright flowers and fanciful spires, inspired by Dale Chihuly’s outdoor glass installations.
• Sculptures—How about a Green Heron hunting in the reeds of a backwater stream, or a harlequin-patterned Montezuma Quail standing watch on a rock?
• Totems—1-4 feet high free-standing sculptures threaded on top of each other over a metal rod fastened to a base. My Desert and SeaLife totems consist of 12-16 beautifully handcrafted, brightly colored, flora and fauna.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My friend loves wildlife viewing, so we are off to the Chiricahua Mountains in the Southeastern corner of Arizona, about a 4-hour drive from Tempe. Dubbed “The Land of Standing-Up Rocks” by the Apache, Chiricahua’s iconic rhyolite pillars earned it national monument status back in 1924. These otherworldly oddities—reminiscent of the orange-hued hoodoos of Utah’s Bryce Canyon—number in the thousand and were formed millions of years ago by a volcanic eruption 1,000 times more powerful than Mount St. Helens. Adding to the mystique, Chiricahua is the largest of Arizona’s “sky islands,” a prodigious mountain range that emerges from the desert like a hazy mirage. As spectacular as the National Monument is, we are first heading to the eastern entrance of the Chiricahua’s near the town of Portal, Arizona, which is best accessed off New Mexico 80 to Douglas, Arizona. Portal sits at the base of Cave Creek Canyon, which is our destination. In 1920 a huge sign over the road read,” Welcome to Cave Creek the Yosemite of Arizona!” And, it is. The scenery is magnificent in all seasons. Huge Cottonwoods and Sycamores line the stream bed with maples, oaks, and junipers by their side. As the route gains altitude at over 8,000 feet, deciduous trees give way to spruce, firs, and Aspen.
We are staying at Cave Creek Ranch, which has a variety of furnished casitas to rent. The ranch has a gift shop, a naturalist on site, and a large viewing/feeding area full of birds and animals alike. Using this as our base camp, we are ready to hike trails and drive the unpaved backroads in search of wildlife, including 16 species of hummingbird during migration. Known the world over as one of the most biologically rich and diverse habitats in the United States, fellow guests are from around the world. Portal is also a draw for dark sky advocates whose foothill houses fitted with huge telescopes, line roads with names like “Milky Way.”
Within a week, common encounters can include Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Coos and Mule Deer, Chiricahua Fox and Rock Squirrels, Bobcat, Grey and Kit Fox, Javelina, Ringtail, Striped and Spotted Skunk, Coati, Coyote, Desert and Eastern Cottontails and Jackrabbit. Highlights of the 200 plus birding lists include vagrants from the east and from Mexico. The American Museum of Natural History field office displays several hummingbird feeders and bands birds during migration. In addition, several residents have yard feeders open to visitors. Top of the list is Birds of Arizona author, Richard Taylor’s yard in Whitetail Mountain canyon, and the Walker House B&B feeders in Paradise.
Other “Must” visits during our trip included:
Rodeo, New Mexico (20 minutes south of Portal on NM Highway 80 to Douglas, Az).
• The Chiricahua Desert Museum and Geronimo Event Center
Excellent collection of books, shirts, Native American jewelry, and collectables. Visit their outdoor garden and indoor live rattlesnake exhibit. The Event Center has information on Native American habitation in the area.
• The Chiricahua Gallery
An excellent display of locally inspired art, including jewelry, ceramics, fiber art, paintings, and more. The Spring and Fall shows draw follks from throughout the region.
• The Geronimo Surrender Memorial is on Hwy.80, south of Rodeo.
Douglas, AZ (about 60 minutes south of Portal).
• The historic Gadsden Hotel
A local and national treasure, The Gadsden Hotel opened its doors in 1907, and has been host to history ever since. Décor includes a huge marble staircase, marble pillars, a Tiffany skylight, and beautiful stain glass murals. Their Saddle and Spur Tavern’s walls are covered with area branding irons.
• Slaughter Ranch National Wildlife Preserve (14 miles east of Douglas)
Here, at his ranch, originally known as San Bernardino Ranch, you can enjoy the scenery, wildlife and atmosphere that has been left largely untouched since Texas John Slaughter’s time. Relatives of his original herd of Texas Longhorns still graze the pastures. The picnic spot under the Cottonwoods by the spring fed pond is worth the drive.
• White Water Draw National Wildlife Refuge (22 miles west of Douglas)
From November to March waterfowl and Sandhill Cranes fill the fields in and around Whitewater Draw. Best viewing time is December-February when 40,000 or more cranes are feeding and roosting there.
• Bisbee (26 miles West of Douglas)
Bisbee, which rivaled San Francisco in the heyday is a perfect day visit. Options include visiting a copper mine, walking the historic district, shopping, and eating in some great restaurants. A must is Café Roka, which is open Thursday-Saturday from 5 PM.
• Walmart
Normally this would not be listed, but Portal is isolated. Grocery shopping is either at this Walmart, or the Safeway in Wilcox.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Shoutouts are to my mother, Virginia Delaney, a ceramic artist and painter, who encouraged my artistic interests. To Grandmother Delaney, who gave me a desire to travel from looking at pictures in her National Geographic Magazines. To Bill Lowrie, who encouraged my interest in wildlife photography and Scuba Diving. To Warren Iliff, past Director of the Portland Zoo, who underscored the importance of imagination. To Jesse Armstrong, Director, Ceramic Studio, Mesa Arts Center, for teaching me to how to execute my own creations. And to my late husband, Donald Lesh, who gave me the confidence to pursue my dreams.

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