Dianne Rasmussen

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Born in Seattle, Washington, this first-generation Norwegian/American discovered her talents for the arts at the age of 13. Drawing simple portraits, instead of doing history assignments, became inspiring, for each new drawing was always twice as recognizable as the prior. Dianne continued to develop her artistic talent at Pacific Lutheran University, accepting a B.F.A. with a dual emphasis in Graphic Design and Sculpture. A few years later she earned a B.A. degree from Western Washington University in Fashion Merchandise Marketing.

Dianne showed her first sculptural works in an architectural furniture showroom in the summer of 1985, She put her business education to use and took on a position of showroom manager, thus leaving the art world and becoming part of the rat race of the business world.

Through the next five years, Dianne worked in furniture and clothing, but always incorporated her sense of display and artistic skills in interior design and merchandising. At the same time, she continued to freelance as a Graphic Designer.

In 1988, while she was framing a picture, a piece of glass shattered on the floor and that’s when it started – Dianne’s obsession with glass. GLASS – fragile, elusive, reflecting, capturing, distorting light, excitable and exciting.

For six months, March ’90 to August ’90, Dianne pursued an apprenticeship at B.C.’s most innovative and creative studio, Sterloff, Studer, and Brown Glass Productions. Here, Dianne learned techniques of fusing and carving artistic images in glass. While residing in Canada she became involved in the glass community with her biggest accomplishment that year having an acceptance of a piece in the GAABC’s “Glass as Art II” at the Bank of Hong Kong in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. The piece “Cameo-Oh” sold and went to a resident in Australia.

Back in the United States, Dianne has continued her work and set up a studio Local Ambiance from 1990 – 1993 in Bellingham, Washington. Through the next ten years, she would be working in and out of the glass industry while also working in Washington State Casinos. While attending Pilchuck Glass school in 1992 she was mesmerized by the glassblowers and would watch them for hours outside of class. At that point, Dianne made a goal that she would go back to Pilchuck as an accomplished glassblower. Aside from family and various jobs, Dianne has made glass art her lifelong ambition and goal.Her style and techniques incorporate lots of color, fluidity, and humor .. fun, fun, fun, her work is quite Art Nouveau with a hint of Baroque and Gothic it also displays passion.

“What I try and incorporate into my work and especially my blown vessels, is solid structure with balance that leads into freedom with slight guidance. The world has freedom with plenty of color, but mostly structure and confinement in form. The tops to my pieces reflect letting go, letting the glass form itself into what it wants to be with ever so slight guidance so as not to get out of hand. That is the beauty!! With the sun shining down, glass screams out ‘look at me, I am beautiful!!’.”

Currently, Dianne blows glass down at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle and also works in her studio DBRas Glass, located in Everett, Washington. Here she develops fused custom tiles, drawer pulls, coasters, candleholders, and other blown vessels and functional sinks sold in various Galleries, Gift stores and Showrooms.

“My Glass Art is also a symbol of the music I listen to. Music encircles me and I find movement. Movement then takes on shape and color which works into the body of my glass vessel. The lyrics send out emotion and meaning that sends fluidity into my inner spirit. My creations are born from the inspiration of music. A circle has started and to every arc is a continuance, to every foundation a start”