Bio

Born in New York City in 1944, Diann Harris Wright, is an artist, and fashion designer who migrated to Utah in the mid 1990’s.

After earning her degree in Fashion Design and Illustration from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology in the early 60's, Diann Harris-Wright spent over two decades in the fashion industry. Beginning her career on New York’s Seventh Avenue as a sketcher and illustrator, then head designer for several sportswear houses. After establishing herself as a successful and sought after designer in the industry, she branched out on her own and in 1968 opened her flagship boutique, Contagious, in New York’s famous Gramercy Park area. She later expanded to include stores on New York’s fashionable Upper Eastside in addition to opening a design and manufacturing facility in Chelsea. Diann Harris designed, manufactured and retailed her own line of fashions.

A reputation for beautiful clothes and wonderful window displays became her hallmark. The window displays featured her artwork that included large fashion illustrations, paintings, sculpture and objets d’art. As a result, she attracted a loyal following nationally and internationally; which included such luminaries as Diahann Carroll, Linda Dano, Liza Minelli, Felisha Rashad, Brooke Shields, Marla Thomas, to name just a few, as well as many of New York’s fashion elite…Chessy Rayner, Mica Ertegun, Nan Kempner, Alexandra Schlesinger and many more. Over the years, she continued drawing classes at the School of Visual Arts in New York and longed to paint full time.

Looking for a break from the fast paced NY fashion world, and presented with an opportunity to relocate, she moved along with her husband to Salt Lake City In 1996. When presented with the opportunity to follow her soul’s code as a painter Diann recalls thinking, “I’ve been painting expressions in my mind for years and finally I have the opportunity to execute and share them with others”.

Ms Harris-Wright has had several shows in the Salt Lake City area and has had work featured at the Mid-Western Biennial, and shows nationwide since the early 2000s.

Diann Harris-Wright’s paintings are in private collections in New York, California, Arizona, Florida and Utah.

Private showings are available by appointment.