According to DiAnna Tindell there is no joy greater than returning an object that has been chipped, cracked or broken to its original shape and beauty. "There's nothing to match the appreciation in the owner's eyes when they first see it," said Tindell.

   This is what lead DiAnna Tindell to open a studio for the restoration of glass, porcelain, and ceramic items, etc., in Nashville, Tennessee.

   Tindell inherited her interest in art from her grandmother, Anna Sherman, born in 1906. Sherman, an accomplished artisan in many mediums, was especially gifted in quilt design.

   Tindell has trained with many well-known locally and internationally recognized artists. She has also trained with museums, including the National Corning Museum of Glass for "hot and cold" glass techniques. Additionally, she has incorporated research from areas such as dental, optical, taxidermy, and automotive. This training, along with the experience she gained through visits to European factories including Meissen, Dresden and R.S. Prussia are produced, gave Tindell the confidence to open a restoration studio with her mother, "Gi Gi" Tindell.

   Since she began her business, Tindell has professionally restored literally thousands of items for museums, galleries, antique malls, interior decorators, and many private collectors. While the variety of items is endless, items have been of varying pedigrees such as Amphora, Cloisonne, Delft, Dresden, Imari, Meissen, Parian Ware, Pickard, Straffordshire, Royal Bayreuth, R.S. Prussia, Roseville, Nippon, Doulton, Crown Derby, Czech and Bavarian Porcelain, Majolica, Moriage, Rosenthal, Rose Medallion, Royal Bonn, Limoges, Lladro, Herend, Boehm, Hummel, Old Paris, Wedgwood, Vienna, Rudolstadt, and Sevres. Tindell has also restored glass pieces, among them Lalique, Venetian, Baccarat, Steuben, and more. In addition, she has gained expertise in restoration of frames, oil paintings, stone/gems, precious/non-precious metals and many other mediums too numerous to list.

   "There are many talented individuals who would love the opportunity to develop in this area of art and I want to teach them," she explains. With the opening of new school locations in Nashville, TN, Tindell has developed comprehensive student handbooks and informative reference materials in both audio and video.

   "In our schools we have a wide variety of the best supplies, tools and equipment available on the market. Our schools are permanent facilities that continue to grow with the Nashville community. The training is enjoyable and rewarding with a safe, comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Our training enables an individual to start their own business or improve an existing hobby with many flexible methods of restoration. The variety is endless and people really appreciate the invisible restoration of their damaged treasured heirlooms," Tindell explains.

   With so much to develop and restore, Tindell is never bored. Best of all, she appreciates her hundreds of client and student ' Thank You ' notes with all the great referrals.

Taken in part from a 1998 article from a The News special feature section Women Entrepreneurs entitled "Tindell's Restoration Studios".