Showcase

TRIBUTE TO DIANA PARKES

1943 - 2011 

Lower Hutt textile artist Diana Parkes was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to textile arts.  Probably no one was more surprised to receive the honour than Daina herself, but after more than 40 years of immersing herself in the world of textiles - as an embroiderer, craftsman dyer, teacher, writer and editor, mentor and businesswoman - the honour is richly deserved.

Diana was a life member of the Wellington Embroiderers' Guild and had been a member since 1971, serving in a number of capacities on the commitee and as part of two Wellington conference committees, the second in 2002 as convenor.

For 27 years she taught community education classes in embroidery in Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt, as well as teaching at guilds throughout New Zealand.  Alongside tutoring, Diana was also deeply involved in the world of embroidery.  She achieved five New Zealand Certificates of Embroidery and as administrator and later an assessor for the scheme for many years.  She was the editor of Threads magazine for four years from 1998 to 2002 and worked hard to build it up to a full colour magazine - the best way to showcase embroidery.

Diana had also entered her work in many exhibitions.  She first won a national award at the ANZEG selected open exhibition in Invercargill in 1984, winning the top award again in 1988.  This was the beginning of a stream of awards, exhibitions and commissions, including working three flags for the New Zealand Defence Force and as the dye consultlant on the Globe Theatre hangings - celebrated at a 20th anniversary dinner in Wellington earlier this year.  She had also been a very successful entrant in WoW - the World of Wearable Art with three entries accepted and shown on the catwalk.

A perceived lack of specialist supplies for embroidery led Diana to start her very successful business, Craft Supplies, which she sold a number of years ago, although she continued with an offshoot of it, a range of hand-dyed perle threads, called Hand Dyed Hues, for some years afterwards.

Diana's work always included dyes and textile pgments - her very earliest embroideries had dyed and sprayed calico backgrounds and it is this interest in dying and creating patterned and layered surfaces that informed her work as a textile artist.  The themes for her recent work have become increasingly concerned with social and environmental conditions, with each piece telling a story.  Recent themes have been from Peru and the turbulent history of the Chatham Islands.

Diana was a member of the Surface Design Association, USA and travelled extensively overseas, visiting as many textile-related places as possible.  Her work has been exhibited throughout New Zealand and the USA, Japan, Australia and England.  She had held five solo exhibitions of her work and was preparing for two upcoming exhibitions as the guest exhibitor for the Kapiti Arts and Crafts Society.

Diana said she felt slightly embarrassed and humbled by an honour she never expected to receive.  But she gave so much to the textile community over the years in so many roles.

Diana Parkes and Governor General
Sir Anand Satyanand.

 To view some of Diana's work go to the Gallery page of this website.