Meet Diana Croft

Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Croft.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Throughout my life, I think that I have always felt the need to create. Additionally, I come from a family full of artistic talent in many unique forms. My childhood was filled with creative pursuits. I loved spending summer days with my grandmother, painting ceramics, as well as sewing and playing the piano with my mother. As I studied elementary education in college, I realized that teaching young children required a whole new range of creative skills.

To me, there is just as much magic in watching a child discover how to write a word, or learning to add, as there is in watching raw materials turn into a beautiful quilt or ceramic vase. After teaching in public schools for six years, I chose to stay at home to raise my sons. I found creativity in entertaining five young boys, in budgeting and cooking, in finding ways to make the holidays magical. My first inklings of turning my love of creating into an actual business came out of necessity. We had family that lived out of state and we needed things to keep our active and curious boys entertained on road trips and quiet and happy in long church meetings or doctor’s offices, etc.

Even with a small budget, I knew I could create things for them myself. I started making felt quiet books for them, creating my own patterns and using supplies I had on hand. I made lots of busy bags that were both entertaining and stretched their thinking and learning. After encouragement from several friends and family members, I decided to start selling some of the things that I had created patterns for. The very first items I began to sell were quiet books, made primarily of felt. When I began to sell to more than just my close friends and family, I knew I could turn this little side project into a small business. A few years ago, I entered a contest for new creatives to win a spot at a popular local handmade market, along with the opportunity to be mentored by successful, creative women.

Fortunately, I won one of the spots in the contest. The boost of confidence, as well as helpful advice, was pivotal to my ability to grow and improve my products and skills. Recently, I felt the pull to change direction in my business and to focus less on the things that only I could create to involving my whole family in creating new items that they could have a hand in creating and producing. It has been rewarding to see my boys stretch as we work together on new products and ideas. They tag, mix, research, organize and create right alongside me. I delight in creating things that spark learning and imagination, and I love that I am helping my family and other families find that same joy in the things we make and sell. Teaching and creating are in my blood, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We’d love to hear more about your art and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I have a soft spot for children, both as a mother and a teacher. My focus is to create things that spark imagination and learning at home and on the go. Everything in my business is designed with that focus in mind. I love creating things with kid-friendly, soft, light, easy to store and carry materials, Marble mazes and I spy bags, triple stitched for durability with soft, inviting fleece strengthen growing hands and fingers and encourage concentration and perseverance in order to manipulate them.

Playdough kits encourage children to use fine motor skills and imagination and provide opportunities to strengthen communication skills as they make their own small worlds, Felt quiet books provide opportunities to create along with counting, symmetry and color recognition, just to name a few skills. I am always thinking about how to make things intuitively inviting and educational. My art is meant to be played with, used and loved. If I see it in a child’s hands, I know it is serving its purpose.

As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
To me, success is seeing my creations in the hands of children. My work is meant to be played with and shared. I hope that the things I create encourage connections, especially between children and parents or other caregivers. My creations are meant to calm fidgety hands, encourage conversations with caregivers, awaken curiosity, and teach in a playful manner. One quality I feel is essential to success as an artist is a willingness to both teach and to learn. My own art is strengthened as I help others and seek opportunities to grow and try new things myself.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I currently sell my products on Etsy. I also love being a vendor at local markets and boutiques in the East valley around the holidays. I also post regularly on my Instagram page @mudpiesandhighfives, where I not only show my products and behind the scenes activities, but I post lots of learning ideas for caregivers of young children.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MudPiesandHighFives
• Email: mudpiesandhighfives@gmail.com
• Instagram: @mudpiesandhighfives

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