Dietlind creates pieces that convey an emotional tone through texture and pattern. She uses mark making as a way to communicate what she finds most lovely, haunting, and curious about the human condition. Her work references teachings from Zen Buddhism, Christian mysticism, the poetic traditions, and contemplative practices including yoga and meditation. Dietlind is influenced by writings on meditation and quiet by Pico Iyer, Jon Kabat-Zinn, David Hinton, and Gordon Hessler, as well as the minimal work of artists Agnes Martin, Hiroyuki Hamada, and Zarina Hashmi.

The Japanese word jikan refers to the silence between two thoughts. In this vein, Dietlind’s work is an attempt to render temporary, fleeting moments of beauty, balance, and stillness visible. Some of her paintings rely on forms observable in the natural world, which she has distilled to geometric patterns and then further deconstructed. Others are responses to field studies involving physical experiences and sound recordings. She views her work as inner landscapes that, when placed together in multiples, engage in a form of communion with one another.

Dietlind holds an MFA from the University of San Francisco and an MA from the University of Southern Maine. Her work has been described as “the transformation of disparate objects into elegantly simple compositions of pattern and grace” (Artscope). She has exhibited at the Cape Cod Museum of Art, Conrad Wilde Gallery, The Fuller Craft Museum, and On Center Gallery, and has been featured in Maine Home + Design, Decor Maine, and Downeast magazines. She is a Core Instructor for R&F Handmade Paints and the former president of New England Wax. Dietlind is an annual presenter at the International Encaustic Conference and teaches workshops throughout the United States and internationally. The recipient of grants from the Maine Arts Commission and International Encaustic Artists, as well as a Tending Space Artist Fellowship from the Hemera Foundation, she is represented by Portland Art Gallery, Artemis Gallery, and Salon Design.