Diana Porter, celebrated for her masterful jewellery design and admired for her formidable leadership and determination, is forever etched into the history of Clifton High School.
Leaving the School in 1959 with an A Level in Art, Diana pursued a career driven by her love of creativity and the arts. Throughout her life Diana strove to make the Arts more accessible to people from many different communities and was a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusivity.
At the age of 47, Diana rediscovered her love for making things and made the brave decision to enrol for a BA Honours Degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing. Embracing the opportunity to immerse herself in the unknown and being the only mature student amongst a course of 18-year olds, Diana viewed her three years at Birmingham College of Art and Design as a gift.
In 1999, in the space of just nine years, Diana was named UK Jewellery Designer of the Year. Her creations sold in high street shops across the country and her Park Street workshop/store has become a mainstay of Bristol independent retail.
As a master of her craft and an ambassador for going against the grain, seeking new challenges and using creativity as a tool for inclusivity, Diana Porter’s legacy embodies so much of what is special about Clifton High. Her enduring support for the School saw her design a bespoke ring in conjunction with the Sixth Formers of Clifton High in 2006; etched on the ring is ‘sweet is the rose that grows’. That year, Diana explained to the leavers that “each ring has been designed to reflect the time spent studying, your achievements and the history of the school. The ring can act as a continual reminder of your school years and the start of a new journey.”
Diana will continue to be an inspiration to the young people of Clifton High; a role model for pursuing her dreams, proving it is never too early or too late to find success in your passions.
The Clifton High School Community’s thoughts go out to Diana’s loved ones at this time.
Please find featured below two articles written by Diana for the 2006 and 2012 editions of the Clifton High Alumni's Contact Magazine, respectively.
