The Southern California artist builds each piece from intuition, memory, and the objects most people overlook.
Diana Kemp’s paintings carry the weight of something found as much as something made. At Serendipity Labs in Costa Mesa, her mixed-media creations felt like they had already lived a few different lives before landing on the wall.
You could see it in the layers, materials, and the way each piece held onto earlier decisions. Diana, a Southern California writer, editor, and mixed-media artist, has only been painting since 2024. That hasn’t stopped her from reaching professional success early on in her art career. Diana spends just enough time on a piece for it to feel complete before moving on to her next stroke of inspiration, and subsequently, her paintbrush.
A Process That Refuses to Sit Still
Diana describes her approach as “creative anarchy,” and she means it. There’s no outline waiting in the background or a clean sequence of steps she follows from start to finish.
“I don’t even know what I’m doing when I start a canvas,” she says. “It comes to me almost like visions.”
Those moments arrive late at night, often between two and four in the morning, carrying color, shape, and sometimes even names. Diana follows them without forcing them into something predictable. A piece might begin in one direction, then veer sharply when something new enters the frame. Diana just lets it happen.
She explains, “I think the fragmentation of abstract imagery reflects how my mind works.”
Materials That Carry Their Own Story
The surfaces of Diana’s paintings usually hold more than paint. Her materials range from clearance-bin fabric and paper discovered in an art warehouse to mosaic tiles laid one by one.
The artist also loves experimenting with unique ‘found objects’ such as light-catching glitter media, shells, coffee grounds, and even pistachio shells that once sat in a bowl. Nothing feels off-limits if it sparks a feeling or idea.
Diana’s piece “Medusa” brings that approach into sharp focus. Built from acrylic, paper, glitter, and countless mosaic fragments, the canvas grew outward in bold purples and reds while the shapes took on a life of their own. The serpentine forms emerged as she worked, revealing themselves layer by layer.
Even accidents find their way into the final forms of Diana’s paintings. One canvas changed direction entirely after she stepped on it by mistake, leaving marks that forced her to rework the surface. What could have been discarded became stronger, shaped by the interruption. Perfectionism tied to the early vision of a piece can be the kiss of death for true creative freedom. Diana prefers to let her art and materials do some of that planning for her.
The Presence Behind the Work
Diana’s late mother is an intimate part of that process. As an oil painter who never fulfilled her dream of studying art in Athens, she left behind canvases and drawings that Kemp still keeps. Rather than storing them away as relics, they exist alongside Kemp’s current work, becoming part of the same creative space.
For Diana, her artwork has helped heal their relationship.
She muses, “I never really considered art as a viable option. And then, honest to God, I think she is speaking through me.”
That feeling shows up in the urgency to begin, the way ideas insist on being followed, and in the sense that painting opened something that was waiting for Diana. The work carries that connection, powerfully woven into every surface she builds. Diana never vibed with the kind of art classes her mother dreamed of, but she honors her with every brushstroke and an overwhelming need to create, no matter when inspiration hits.
Letting the Work Keep Unfolding
At Serendipity Labs, Diana saw her paintings in a new light, both literally and figuratively. Natural light shifted the colors and textures in ways she hadn’t seen before, pulling out details that stayed hidden in her own space. Visitors even found their own images within the work, pointing out shapes and movement she hadn’t consciously placed there. That openness is part of what keeps her work alive.
Whether Diana draws inspiration from her late mother or from scenic So-Cal art hubs like Laguna Beach or Irvine, each piece continues to evolve. The inspiration may be hitting a little too hard. At this point, Diana might need to find a storage unit for the pieces that have steadily demanded her attention since she started this artistic journey in 2024.
Diana Kemp Dreamscapes is a Finalist in the 2026 Fusion Art Colors Exhibition, the April 2026 LightSpaceTime Abstracts Art Exhibition, the California Welcome Center – Yucca Valley Art Contest, and as a jury-selected artist in Abstract Zone 2026. She also received a Teravarna Honorable Mention in the 14th Open 2026 Juried Art Competition. Along with her recent Serendipity Labs showcase in Costa Mesa, these recognitions reflect a body of work that continues to grow in both scale and visibility.
Written in partnership with Tom White
