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KERENS - Diane Billingsley first fell in love with metal working as a 7-year-old when her parents took her to see a blacksmith’s shop.
By the time she got to high school, she was eager to take vocational ed, where she wanted to learn welding, but in the late 1970s and early 1980s at small Jasper High School in East Texas, that wasn’t considered appropriate subject matter for girls, so she was steered towards nursing.
Resigned, Billingsley became a registered nurse and worked at that career for more than a decade until the bug to learn to craft metal arose again. Ten years ago, she bought herself a little arc welder and began messing around on her own. Then, she took a course at a junior college and she was firmly hooked. It’s now been six years since she was bed-side as a nurse.
Now, she has her own metal working shop in Kerens just off Texas Highway 31 where she does sculptures, signs, and custom work for oil companies and neighbors.
“I always dreamed that I could (do metal work), but it took a long time until I believed that I could,” Billingsley said.
She and her husband, Rickey Billingsley, an oil field consultant, moved to Kerens from Fredericksburg about 10 years ago. Although she liked the Hill Country, she loves Kerens for the acceptance she’s found here.
“I wouldn’t go back,” she said. “I love it here — people don’t look at me like I’ve got three heads. People accept you for who you are, and they don’t put on airs.”
Billingsley has been creating signs and decorative work, but she’s also working on building an energy efficient home out of metal, which takes up a good portion of her time. In the process, she’s also been designing and building the fixtures for her house, including the lights, bathroom fixtures and others. Eventually, she’d like to make and sell her own line of house fixtures.
One of four children, she has a supportive family, including her husband and son.
“My mom’s constantly surprised,” she said. “They’re glad I’m doing what I want to do.”
Billingsley knows how lucky she is to be able to pursue her passion, as well as to have her own shop in which to work.
“I feel very fortunate,” she said. “I don’t take it for granted.” She thanks her husband and credits him for allowing her to do what she loves doing.
Billingsley also gave special recognition to Alvis Wayne Montrose, whom she said was instrumental in her getting started.
“I couldn’t do this without him,” she said. “My shop is here because of him.”
Billingsley’s work and her progress on her house can be seen on the Internet on Facebook at purpleanvilmetalworks, and at Dianesmetalhouse@blogspot.com.
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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “sound off” to this article? E-mail: Soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com
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