Background
Of her childhood there, she says "I was born into a community of depressed, Mormon Swedish farmers, who put away winter black on Memorial Day in favor of summer navy blue."
Her campaign platform was noted for being down-to-earth. Her mother Audrey stood by the highway, waving, holding a sign that read "Mothers Foreign Diana." Diana followed up by standing by the highway with her two Great Danes, waving with a sign that read "Dogs Foreign Diana." She went on to run for the Hawaii State House of Representatives, and won a seat there, but lost a Congressional race, after which, she says, "I was unemployable.".
Education
Tisch School of the Arts.
Career
Born Diana Hansen in Bellingham, Washington in 1947, she was the eldest of 6 children born to Audrey and Wally Hansen. In 1964, in high school, she wrote a musical that had a full production. She realized then that she wanted to write musical theatre, but it was a while before she returned to her calling.
In 1966 she moved to Hawaii.
In 1968, ran for the State Constitutional Convention. One day, she painted a painting of a Hawaiian woman in front of Diamond Head and the painting sold within 5 minutes.
She continued painting Hawaiian women for the next 25 years, and her business grew from a roadside stand into a gallery. Her art could be found on mugs, calendars, cards, clothing, and perfume.
She wrote and illustrated four art and prose coffee table books, and sold over three hundred thousand prints and 150,000 mugs (through Jack in the Box, JC Penney, Wal-Mart, and Quality, Value, Convenience).
Her art supported her family and their farm. The family lived on a farm in Kahalu"u on the island of Oahu, and Diana expanded her publications to include 10 children"s books about the farm, known as Mango Hill, and the fictional adventures of the animals there. They had many pets (horses, dogs, cats, chickens and peacocks) and the farm became known as a home for stray or unwanted animals.
Roosters who had lost fights were left at the farm, and an orphaned mongoose was lowered over the fence in a cat carrier.
Membership
Diana has been a published member of Mystery Writers of America since 1979 and has written numerous short mystery stories, and is currently writing and living in Brooklyn with two cats, Jaws and Smudge.
