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Darren Doye grew up in Bendigo, Victoria. Influenced by Americans Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Robert Motherwell, as well as Australian greats Arthur Boyd and Sydney Nolan, Darren took up painting after a childhood love of drawing.

Darren studied Fine Art at Ballarat University and some years later completed a Diploma of Education. His work is represented in private collections both in Australia and Europe.

The most recent series of Darren’s paintings combine woodcut prints and traditional oil painting techniques. Woodcuts are the earliest known form of Printmaking. It is a time consuming process where an image is carved into a wooden plate in reverse, to ensure the image is correctly orientated after printing. Most of the paintings are crafted on canvas, another traditional methodology. Darren then manipulates the paint surface using palette knives and brushes to create a variety of textures and points of interest for the viewer.

Darren has a keen interest in the Australian landscape and way of life. Through combining well known Melbourne icons such as the Nylex clock and the Skipping Girl Vinegar neon sign Darren invites the viewer on a journey of recognisable Melbourne landmarks. The layout of the paintings in the form of a wall encourages the viewer to read and personalise the narrative, a little like a comic strip, to evoke feelings of nostalgia.

Darren often places the urban landmarks within rural landscapes, which pays homage to the Artist’s country roots. The inclusion of grass covered paddocks alludes to the continuing urban sprawl and the implied lifestyle of new housing estates on the urban fringes of Melbourne.