Diane Buettner and Sharron Kree
Metal and Enamel Artists

A Statement and Collaborative Biography

Diane Buettner and Sharron Kree are close friends and have shared an interest in the natural world as a source for creative inspiration for over twenty years. Fascination with form, structure, color, texture, and patterns, coupled with well developed powers of observation are traits that they both have in common and utilize to develop and realize their creative projects together. The purpose of much of their work in metal and enamel is not necessarily to strive for an impossible realism, but to magnify aspects of certain natural subjects. It is really a simplifying process, attempting to capture the feeling or perhaps even the “personality” of a living thing using the tools and processes available and searching for more knowledge of the craft, as each project demands it. They feel fortunate to be able to see into these small worlds in a similar sort of way and more often than not come to some harmonious conclusions about what they witness and create. 

Sharron and Diane maintain their own workshops and studios. They come together to discuss and design a project, but often work independently after plans are made for a piece. As work progresses they will get together and finally realize the completed idea. Sharrons’s expertise is enameling, while Diane concentrates on metalsmithing but both strive to be equally able in both skills.

The insect sculptures are the current project and have been for the last three years. The idea of working with beetles in enamel and metal is one that both Sharron and Diane had discussed for many years before actually giving it a try. Prior endeavors have included photography,  screen printing and textile soft sculpture. They also have designed and developed enameled products for a commercial manufacturer. Recently they have been mounting archival botanical specimens for the Peabody Museum, Yale University in New Haven, CT.

Sharron Kree holds a BFA in enameling and silversmithing from the Cleveland Institute of Art. She has designed enamels and developed products for commercial reproduction for over twenty years and has also served as a technical advisor in the use of vitreous enamel for customers of a US enamel distributor. 

Diane Buettner is a self-taught metal smith, welder and sculptor. She has worked in the commercial craft field as a product development director and designer. Other interests include furniture making, functional sculpture as well as jazz, early country and blues music.