Artist Darren Crothers, born in Ouyen, Victoria in 1967, can be described as a painter who seeks to define the Australian culture ironically, symbolically and iconically from an engaged commentators view. Using representational images from Australian culture with his knowledge of art history, he recombines apparent reality into visual concepts that comment on the comedy, tragedy and aspirations of the human spirits endeavours.
Darren now living in Bendigo, studied Fine Art at the Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney, in 1995. Under the tutelage of such artists as Francis Giacco, Nigel Thomson and Paul Delprat. In 1996 he became a teaching assistant to Francis Giacco. He also studied with Graeme Inson in Sydney, the protégé of the tonal impressionist Max Meldrum.
Some of Darren’s exhibition highlights have been winning the Alice Bale $40,000 Travelling Scholarship, which allowed travel through Europe studying art at the major art museums. He has also received The Brett Whiteley Scholarship and the Joshua Smith Memorial prize for Drawing from the Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney. Darren was voted the people’s choice at the James Farrell self portrait award, Castlemaine Art Gallery. And was a finalist in the 2007 Archibald Portrait Prize at the N.S.W Art Gallery, Sydney. |
