Diane joined the Village Gallery of Arts in December of 2023 and currently serves as an active member in the Community Outreach team. Apart from VGA, she is also a member of the Columbia Basin Basketry Guild.

Born and brought up on the East Coast, Diane Shingledecker minored in Computer Programming and majored in Psychology, and holds a master’s in teaching. She lived in Denver for 10 years prior to moving to Portland. Diane served nearly 23 years as an instructor at the Portland Community College. She was the Dean for the last 5 years of her career at PCC before her retirement in July 2023. 

Diane always had the urge to create something new. She used to knit when she was young. Trying to balance both work life and her passion for art was quite challenging, Diane pursued her artistic interest by attending basket weaving classes during summers at the Multnomah Arts Center. She never forgot to fulfill her passion during weekends until she retired early and shifted her career to the path of art. A decision Diane is absolutely glad she made. Today Diane a full-time artist and loves to weave every morning. 

Diane says, “Basket weaving is an art that is full of joy. Of course, the biggest challenges are choosing the materials that are accessible and working with the fragility of the materials. Despite these challenges, my real happiness is when someone buys my basket, uses it and appreciates my work.” Her curiosity and the love for colors motivate her in creating a wide variety of baskets. She considers the renowned basket maker and the President of the National Basketry Organization, Mr. Cael Chappell as her role model. Right now, she is focused on weaving large numbers for exhibiting her baskets on the 46th Annual Celebration of Creativity Fine Art Exhibit & Sale which will be held on March 6th to March 9th, 2025, at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Beaverton.

Diane’s favorite hobbies include traveling and speaking French. Whenever she travels, she knits. She always considers working outside surrounded by nature to be the most ideal working environment. 

The consistent encouragement with zero attitude from the fellow artists of VGA supports Diane in her creative pursuits. She has also learned to try, experiment and be versatile as a VGA artist. Diane’s advice to fellow artists, “Believe in your creativity, value your creativity and trust your creativity.”