artiste d'mon >>> tim darnell

Mixing It Up with Mixed Media Artist Tim Darnell
Interview by: silverio pantalla

"Rêve Parisien"

How long have you been an artist and what made you decide to be an artist?
I've been drawing and painting since about 1974. I began by copying paperback cover and comic book images in high school -works by Frank Frazetta, Neal Adams, Jeff Jones, Howard Chaykin, Barry Windsor Smith, and Michael Kaluta, to name a few. At that point I just wanted to see if I could approximate whatever it was that I was looking at. I didn't think to myself "hey, I'm an artist". That didn't happen until around 1984 when I was living in North Hollywood, California.

I can't even remember what I was doing that day, and even though I wasn't even painting much at the time, it hit me that I was an artist and then I had to decide what was I going to do about it. I gradually began to paint more and eventually got into working with mixed media.

What projects do you feel best describe you as an artist?
I think the paintings that I've created as a whole, would best describe me as the artist I am today. I learn something every time that I work on a painting. Another experience that I feel has contributed to my work are the two years that I worked as an artist at the Cafe Tu Tu Tango down on International Drive in Orlando (1994-1996). I had a chance to paint and sell my paintings to the Cafe's customers and employees. That gave me a chance to talk to interested people from out-of-state who gave me some good feedback and bought some of my work.

" Café Tu Tu Tango"

I made a three-week trip to France back in April and May of 1989, which resulted in a number of paintings. What a country. I spent some time in Paris, Brittany and the French Riviera. After taking 60 rolls of film, I felt like my fingers were going to fall off. It was an excellent time and I think it's time to go back to Europe soon. I still use that time as a backdrop for my current work.

I've had more than 50 solo and group exhibitions since 1988 when I moved to Orlando and those are all experiences that, taken as a whole, have certainly contributed to my artistic identity.

Some other projects: a T-shirt design for the March of Dimes, a 4' X 8' painting for the City of Orlando with an Olympic theme and a mural that I worked on with fellow artist Sheila Blow for a hotel by the airport.

How is like to be you as an artist?
No big deal, really. I live a pretty simple life. I like to paint and create. I also like to run, play tennis, go to the beach and hang out by the ocean. I love the ocean. The blue greens of the waves, the peace and the power of the sea, that's where I get re-energized. My love of the ocean began when I was a kid living in California in the 60's. What a trip. Amazing!

I guess that I'd have to admit that I'm obsessed with the visual and its power to affect others and me. Art has the power of a sledgehammer but can also have more subtle effects. I imagine that I've always been attracted to painting and creating, because I'd rather paint than talk.

What is your most important goal in life as an artist?
That's a big question! I'd like to make a positive contribution to this world as an artist, but more importantly, as a person. I have a drive to create images/art that will hopefully make people think and that has a positive effect on people. My art is a kind of statement to the world, but I feel that who I am as a person is much more important. As Alberto Giacometti said; "art interests me very much, but truth interests me infinitely more."

" Laughing at the Eiffel"

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet and why?
That would have to be the most amazing person who's ever walked on this planet: the Lord Jesus Christ, the Heart of all creation. He knows everything I'd ever want to know about any artist who's ever lived, so someday I'd like to take advantage of that inside information.

On a personal note, the Lord has never let me down and is always just a thought away. All of us will be meeting Him face to face someday, so I'm using some of this time here to get to know Him better. I can't think of a better use of my time.

What is the biggest misunderstanding about you?
I wouldn't know because I don't spend a lot of time wondering how people perceive me.

Who have been some of your main influences as an artist and as a person?
Artistically I've been very lucky to have been taught by some very talented artists and educators. At Valenica Community College (East campus, Orlando): Nancy Jay, Rima Jabbur, Michael Galletta and Bill Blaine for Painting, Drawing and Design and Frank Holt for Art History. At the University of Central Florida: Walter Gaudnek, Steve Lotz, Julia Terwilliger, Charles Wellman, Mic Knight and Hadi Abbas for Painting, Design, Photography and Ceramics and Dr. Francis Martin for Art History.

"The Three Graces"

Personally I'd have to mention my grandparents, Nan and Bub, my parents and brothers and sisters: Kath, Rick, Michelle, Chris and Chip: all exceptional people who I've been very lucky and blessed to know. Aside from my family and relatives, I'd have to say that my high school teachers at St. Francis De Sales in Milwaukee, all of whom were very dedicated instructors, had a major influence on my thinking as a person and as an artist.

Finally, I'd like to mention some artists whom I admire, most of whom have no doubt influenced my work: Dali, El Greco, Rembrandt, Odilon Redon, Monet, Jim Dine, Peter Max, Neal Adams, Helen Frankenthaler, Per Kirkeby and Chuck Close, to name just a few.

What are your immediate plans for the future?
For the short term, I have some shows lined up in the next 3-6 months that I'm preparing work for.

I'm very excited about some paintings that I am working on currently as well as some that are a few months away from being started. One in particular ("San Miguel") will be a quasi-apocalyptic work of the Archangel Michael. I usually work on a number of paintings at the same time.

I have some abstracts planned for some shows this year and am working on a painting currently that I hope will find itself in a show at the Orlando Museum of Art this June. That piece is based on the Shadow character created by Walter Gibson. I'm almost done with the painting.

"Three Skulls"

More long-range plans include some traveling to inspire some landscape painting, studying art in another country (Spain, Italy or Portugal would be outstanding) and putting together a book of my paintings and photographs. I'll need some help with that. I'm also thinking of going back to school to study photography.