Peregian Beach, Noosa, Qld
Born and raised in a small coastal town in New Zealand, Darren has a very strong connection to the sea and has grown more and more fascinated with coastal civilisation and built environments.
Artworks: 2
In the last 10 years, I have become really aware and fascinated of the way humans interact with and impact nature, mostly among coastal fringes. The development of these areas can sometimes be seen as a negative and at early exposure this can be the easiest interpretation. But, with time and frequent interactions, these feelings can turn to an appreciation of the many eras that these buildings span and represent.
My artworks often speak to these emotions, expressing my fascination of places throughout the world, where the ocean disperses its energy onto a city edge. I draw upon these memories of “place” and feelings of nostalgia to create works that hopefully brings a sense of calm to the observer.
What interests me most about memories is that details are stripped back when we recall something, and instead, we allow ourselves to be guided by the feelings we felt at a particular moment.
The tones and colours I use, draw inspiration from the idea that a “grey” architectural plane is actually also reflecting the colours, however subtle, from the surrounding environment.
When starting a painting, I allow the process to guide my mind and eventually I will know what memory I should be drawing from. It really is the love of the process that keeps me coming back and creates that feeling of needing to paint.
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