At age ten, Diane began painting under the guidance of locally prominent landscape artists in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. She soon developed an interest in scientific illustration and later received a full scholarship to attend Tulane University, where she studied biological illustration, art history, and the natural sciences. After receiving her degree in 1982, Diane moved to Florida's west coast to begin her career as a professional illustrator. Because of her lifelong love of fishing, she decided at this point to specialize in fish illustration, using pen-and-ink and dry-brush watercolor. By 1986, Diane had begun painting in oils again, allowing her to balance the hard regimen of scientific illustration with the freedom of oil painting. In the past few years she has expanded her subjects to include landscapes once again.
Diane's artwork has appeared on the covers of sport-fishing periodicals and on numerous marine conservation stamps/prints and educational publications produced by several state governments. While her work continues to grow in popularity among private collectors, Diane still maintains an active illustration career, with her first priorities going to projects that enhance conservation of our natural resources. She is a member of the international Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and an honorary lifetime member of the Florida Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. In 1998, Diane began serving on the Board of Directors of Fish Florida!, a nonprofit organization helps people, especially children, learn about fishing and Florida's environment.
