Diane Kowalewski:
CLASS OF 1970
John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High SchoolClass of 1970
Philadelphia, PA
Tracy Warner School of DesignClass of 1971
Philadelphia, PA
Holy Family SchoolClass of 1966
Philadelphia, PA
Diane's Story
Where to begin? I've lived in Philadelphia and its environs all my life and get homesick if I'm away from there for very long. (I love to travel, but love more to come home!) I married shortly after graduating tech school, eventually had three children, a son and two daughters, was fortunate enough to be able to be a "stay-at-home-mom" during their formative years, working part-time here and there when daddy could be home with the kids.
Met the love of my life while still in high school when he joined my rock band (he tickled the ivories, I sang), was married to him for nearly thirty-two wonderful years when in 2004 he succumbed to cancer (started as colon, ended up in the liver and pancreas) he had battled bravely for four years. He was my love, my best friend and my hero--you only get one of those, and in the words of Joni Mitchell, you don't know what you've got till it's gone.
Shortly before his death (2003), I was diagnosed with breast cancer, which had metastasized to the bones. Since then I've had chemo, a few surgeries, a little radiation on a hip bone, and am currently on daily and monthly therapies that seem to be doing the job of keeping me up and running. (One doc said: "Whatever you're doing, keep it up.") I'm still here, and I'm sticking around for the long run. I feel great, but for all intents and purposes, I'm "retired", pursuing at home my art, writing and countless array of hobbies.
In early 1988 I was able to pursue my first artistic "love", pen & ink illustration, when a teacher/friend (another Hallahanite!) recommended a position opening at a local environmental center for a wildlife/science illustrator. From '88 to '94, I worked as a freelance illustrator/consultant on REEP (Regional Environmental Education Program), a grades K through 12 environmental education curriculum writ...Expand for more
ten and compiled by teachers for teachers, and published by The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education (SCEE), Philadelphia, PA, the largest urban EE center in the US (340 acres and over three miles of hiking trails). It was quite the educational experience, and I loved every minute of my time there. It was, I think, the sort of job that drops into one's lap only once in a lifetime. Glad I was there to catch it.
For absolute fun, I'm also a seamstress, specializing in medieval garb building or, mundanely speaking, costuming. I belong to the SCA, a medieval reenactment society, and did camp for the last six years for almost two weeks every August at a large period encampment in western PA known as the Pennsic Wars. (Yeah, a pitched medieval war with period tents, medieval battles, firepits and everything!) My oldest daughter and her hubby have attended as well, but now my cancer treatments have affected my feet so that walking is slow and the Pennsic locale is quite hilly. Not to mention the heat and humidity at the end of July/beginning of August can be and has been torturous at times, so it is with much regret and sadness that I will not be making a seventh run this summer. :(
My youngest daughter had her first child and my first grandchild in April of 2008, a beautiful, beautiful boy! I've been waiting a long time for one of those! Check him out in my photo section.
Aside from spending (and wasting!) inordinate amounts of time on the internet, I've been traveling the US when I can, meeting and visiting new friends and reconnecting with old friends--half the fun is locating the illusive ones, so it's great to find a place like this one to find many at once.
Now if you were able to take the time to read this entire bio (God bless you!), drop me a line and we'll chat. I'd love to reconnect!
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