“Go With The Flow”
“Go With The Flow”
I have fond memories of sitting watching the waves come in and make the seaweed swirl around in a hypnotic way. Rock pool on the Wellington south coast.
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Fellow of the Australian Society of Marine Artist
My art is an eclectic collection, reflecting my multifaceted inspirations and interests. On the one side there is technology with a strong pull towards maritime subjects, with a great influence from growing up in a Naval family and having served in the Royal Australian Navy myself.
read more...On the other side is fantasy work which blends into illustration with some subjects that are appealing to a much younger audience. These two sides usually fight for the opportunity to become a reality on canvas. This has led me to having at least two streams of work on at any one time.
The thread that brings my work together is the desire to reproduce the work in a highly detailed and realistic manner, whether it be graphite pencil or acrylics. I’ve delved into digital art, but I love the tactile interaction with paint and pencil and revel in unplanned mistakes that can create a new style or quality to my work.
I have fond memories of sitting watching the waves come in and make the seaweed swirl around in a hypnotic way. Rock pool on the Wellington south coast.
A very small piece for an exhibition at Mitchell Studios. A view of Lake Dunstan.
A female Paradise Shelduck flies in to be with her partner on the lawns next to the famous church located on the shores of Lake Tekapo, New Zealand.
Inspired by one of those classic moments, having fish'n chips on a Sunday evening whilst watching the sunset.
Limited edition of 30 giclée prints produced.
As a family, we went to Paekākāriki beach on a cloudy Sunday afternoon to run around on the sand. There was a moody sky with fantastic light on the hills, which was great inspiration for a painting.
The painting was finished when we first 'locked down' for the Covid-19 virus. There was going to be a solitary figure on the beach, but I felt that was too isolating in the current situation, so I changed it to parent and child making the most of a not so sunny day.
This painting received an honourable mention from Captain Jeanine Drummond, at the Australian Society of Marine Artists national online exhibition "Harbour Life", 1 Jul - 31 Jul 2022.
I was lucky enough to have a view of Wellington harbour at one work place and was treated to some spectacular light & weather. I set out to capture one of my favourite moments, watching the Blue Bridge ferry MS Strait Feronia heading out as Wellington gears up for the day.
read more...Acrylics on board, this painting marks a turning point in my work, where I've used many translucent layers of paint to build up the sky and light. Always wanting to achieve a photo-like quality to my work, I still want to create something unique that can't be easily captured on camera.
My actual view at the time was cluttered with waterfront buildings. I removed them to create a serene view with just the top of the old waterfront sheds marking the wharf area. This allows the ferry to be the focal point as she gently turns to head out of the harbour.
As a final touch, I put my family on the top deck as we escape on holiday.
Client: Personal
One of my favourite tracks around Wellington is the escarpment track from Paekakariki to Pukerua Bay. If you get a weather like what I've depicted here, it's an incredible view, with the wind drawing rivers of texture on the still sea.
Exhibited in the 2017 NZ Art Show, Wellington, New Zealand.
Client: Personal
As the sun rises, Mt Taranaki catches the light with Mt Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu silouetted in the distance. Down in the plains, the farmers lights signal the start to the day.
Exhibited in the 2017 NZ Art Show, Wellington, New Zealand.
Client: Personal
This piece was initially inspired by a flight I had back to Wellington from the South Island. I had a great view of the Kaikoura range and the sun setting behind them. The light was magic, creating a fantastic atmosphere around the mountains.
read more...I was aiming to put a solitary yacht in the foreground, but I had a growing feeling it would be tiny and lost. I also realised there was a great deal of sea with no point of interest to the painting.
Flicking through an RNZAF book I stumbled across an image of a Short Sunderland. I've always loved the classic lines of these aircraft and have fond memories of visiting one at MOTAT, Auckland.
Further research revealed that they flew out of Evans Bay, Wellington in the 1950's. This was the perfect focal point for my painting. I prefer to do my research first, then create the composition, but for this I allowed myself a little artistic license to explore the 1950's period around Wellington.
I still wanted to put a ship in. To continue the 1950's theme, my research drew me to the RMS Rangitiki, a cargo/liner that was a frequent visitor to Wellington. That was the finishing touch to the painting.
Created for the 2017 NZ Art show.
Client: Personal
In memory of my wonderful mother.
Client: Personal
This one is for my Mum. Carrick Station used to be owned by her uncle and she has fond memories of visiting the station when she was very young. She has been asking me for ages to draw Carrick Station, but I've gone one better.
When I was talking to her about it, she remembered flowers out the front, so I've painted her standing in the drive way after picking a couple of nice roses for herself. Cousins can be seen running towards her, and other family members are in the background.
Client: Personal
Inspired from a scene in the movie "Unstoppable".
Client: Private commission
Client: Private commission
A commissioned piece portraying the French Corvette Naturaliste off Jurien Bay, Western Australia, during the Baudin expedition in 1801.
The original artwork measures 150cm X 90cm
Client: Donated for charity fundraising
Tall Poppy art gallery in Safety Bay, Western Australia put a call out to artists to donate work to fundraise for Sids and Kids Australia. This was the first piece to sell that night for $1,200, with the buyer trying to purchase it several hours beforehand. They were asked to come back and purchase it at the official opening.
Paddle Steamer Decoy at sunrise, berthed at the Mends St Jetty, South Perth.
Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Darrell moved to Perth in the mid-1980s with his family. Although he had a passion for drawing and painting from an early age, he followed in his parents’ footsteps and pursued a career in the Navy.
As a signalman, Darrell served on several Australian Naval ships, including HMAS Westralia and HMAS Swan. In between watches, Darrell continued with his passion for drawing, leading him to produce art works frequently mistaken for photographs. One of his first photo-realistic pencil drawings was of HMNZS Waikato, a ship that is close to his family’s heart; his father was part of the commissioning crew and both Darrell and his brother were christened on-board.
After leaving the Navy in 1997, Darrell traveled throughout Europe and the UK, returning to Australia to enroll at the WA School of Art, Design and Media. Graduating in 2002 with an Advanced Diploma in Graphic Design and Multimedia, Darrell continued with his drawing and expanding his range of prints.
Over the years he moved from pencil to oils and acrylics. The National Maritime Museum of Australia purchased two of his pencil drawings for their collection. The West Australian Cricket Association commissioned an oil painting of HMAS Sydney II, as part of their ‘Lest we forget’ display. This painting has subsequently appeared in several publications on the Sydney.
Another side of his work includes a large range of illustrations for the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation. These adorn promotional material, activity books for kids, signage and even playground equipment.
Darrell now resides in Wellington, New Zealand with his wife and children and continues to produce works for clients around the world.