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Dia Bassett, Teaching Artist (San Diego State University, MFA, Sculpture, Point Loma Nazarene University, BA Romance Language, Art; Minor, Theatre)

With CoTA since 2015

Sheared discarded textiles become the geometric forms in fiber installations that reference motherhood, family, relationships, labor, the body, and the natural environment. Being sourced from her own collection and from family and friends, the fabrics are imbued with history and personal meaning, linking them with time, movement, and memory. As Dia engages in translating the complex relationships between seemingly mundane materials and our bodies, she works to transform these malleable materials recognizable within the everyday domestic sphere: linens, thread, and worn clothing, among others. In her approach to craft, she applies precise as well as unrefined fiber techniques resulting in loose weaves or undulating crochet loops. Recently she has experimented with loomless weaving directly on the wall using up-cycled fabrics in varying degrees of density. These experiments have revealed the irregularities and imperfections that make up fiber’s duality of vulnerability and strength. 

Dia Bassett is the recipient of the California Arts Council Emerging Artist Fellowship (2021), two Quick Grants from Rising Arts Leaders San Diego, a Green Public Art Grant and the Isabel Craft Scholarship. Noted art collections are: The San Diego Workforce Partnership headquarters, and Ryan Brothers flagship store (Barrio Logan, San Diego). She is an arts educator with over ten years experience, leading collaborative teaching teams with projects focused on engagement, accessibility, relevance, and developmentally appropriate experiences for children and adults. She empowers youth and educators by involving them in the artistic process and a deep-dive into academic content.