From the master himself, here is your moment of inspiration today.  Please visit this web page to see many more of his sketches.

Throughout the past few weeks we have talked about several artists whose work we carry in our store, and today I want to introduce you to one more: Diane James.

Diane James is a big name in the home decor industry.  The quality of her work is globally recognized, and if you share our passion for home decor, Diane James is one of those names in the industry that you need to know.  Our relationship with Diane James dates back to September of 2000.  Here at The Picket Fence we are grateful to have been one of their first retail accounts and to have had the opportunity to share her work with so many of our friends.

Diane James grew up in Arizona and, as a young girl, her mother always had freshly cut flowers decorating their house.  This sparked an early love and passion for flowers in Diane, one that she continues to carry with her, and continues to inspire her beautiful designs.  With her own family, Diane continued the tradition of decorating with flowers and, as she clearly was a talented artist, she began making arrangements for friends as well.

Diane James later moved to Brussels, Belgium and there she was inspired by the old masters and their exquisite floral arrangements.  This lead to further exploration of the art of floral arrangement, and it was not long before Diane was mastering the art of floral composition with Lady Pulbrook Gould, the doyenne of English design, and finally with Kenneth Turner.

After her studies, Diane began to work with faux-flowers (fake flowers) in 1990, and the medium quickly became a new passion.  She once again would decorate for family and friends, but her talent could not be ignored and in 1997, with the founding of her company, her work became widely recognized as a true art.  In that same year, Diane James as asked to arrange faux-flowers for Bergdorf Goodman, and Goodman launched her first collection.  Diane James has been creating the most beautiful floral arrangements and orchid plants ever since… and not one of them has ever wilted!  Her designs look so real, and they are the accessory of choice for top designers such as Michael Smith, Barbara Barry and Mario Buatta.

Today Diane James, the company, has developed a signature niche in the world of floral design.  Made of the finest materials with an artist’s attention to color, form and detail inspired by European masters, Diane James provides maximum impact with minimal maintenance.  She encompass a garden of possibilities, from romantic bouquets to potted orchids to customized trees.

Now, with the help of her twin daughters, Carolyn and Cynthia, Diane designs seasonal collections, inspired by the latest home décor trends.

We are very grateful to have her in our store, and we would love for you to see more of her work!  Please click the following link to see her work and feel free to give us feedback in the comments below.