Robin Glynn – General Assignment Reporter –
With more years creating and teaching art than she cares to think about, Diane Platt said it is important for an artist to have inspiration.
The exhibit spanned over the last 10 years and is an example of what Platt has been working on. What exhibit?
“I am always interested in new material,” said Platt.
Platt said she recently worked with plastic material and metal and has been doing larger works.
“Each material offers different properties for ideas and form,” said Platt.
Platt previously used primarily copper and steel. Recently, Platt has been working in plastic, wood, copper and steel combinations. She said her exploration in combining various materials continues to evolve as she creates forms combining both volumetric and linear elements.
Platt studied sculpture at the Tyler School of Art, Temple University in Philadelphia, Penn. and received her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts in sculpture in 1973. She was awarded a teaching certification in 1975 and attended Southern for a Bachelors in Science in Art Education 1985.
“I was encouraged to pursue art school by her sister,” said Platt. “We talked about college. I wanted to get into an art school, but had a bare portfolio.”
Platt said she has always been artistic, having created art since high school. She attended Southern as a local artist and wants students to be exposed to art and, if they want, pursue it.
“I find youth to be inspirational,” said Platt. Many ideas of material used today she was not exposed to years ago.
“I wanted to create value for children of the arts,” said Platt.
Platt said she loves to use metal the most. She said small pieces take longer than bigger pieces, and the smaller pieces and take hours to create.
“People will look closely at the details,” said Platt.
Platt said she will work with four to five pieces at a time. If she is stuck, she will continue working on the other pieces and come back. Platt’s studio is located at the Innovation Center in Bridgeport, Conn.
“Studios are important to sculpture,” said Platt about having a workable space.
According to her website, which will be under construction soon, Platt said there is always something interesting to see and new creations being born.
She has been influenced by many sculptures, including Jose Gonzales, Jean Arp, Barbara Hepworth, David Smith, Isaac Witkin, and they continue to influence her.
“Their sensibility to form an expression,” said Platt. “I felt the affinity toward sculptures. I stayed with me.”
According to her biography, Platt is a recent retiree as an art instructor for the New Haven Public Schools, and has also participated as a Yale Fellow at the Yale New Haven Teachers Institute for several years, having develop curriculum in the arts.
Pieces that were included in the exhibit included Dancing Luna, constructed of hammered copper and welded together. Other sculptures were Sculptor’s Palette, made of copper, bronze and formed glass, and Sentenial II.
Platt is an award winning artist, with awards from New Haven Paint and Clay Club including the Purchase Award and Sculpture Award. Platt also won at the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe 109th Exhibition.
Platt’s previous exhibitions locations included Fairfield University, New Haven Paint, Clay Club, Mystic Art Gallery, New Britain Museum and Oil Drum Art in Hartford.
In her artist statement, Platt said, “The shapes and forms I hammer, weld, carve, construct and cast develop perceptually. One form grows organically from the suggestion of another as I pursue the properties of materials.”
