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Darrah uses found imagery of flora and fauna (and the tools we use to engage with our environment) in combination with painted abstract grounds to suggest narratives about (Canadian) identity, environment and sense of place. Darrah has always been concerned with the interplay of colour and mark-making, and he particularly focuses on subtle, and not-so subtle, colour combinations that are both evocative and beautiful. Darrah started exploring graffiti techniques in the 1980’s. He was interested in the casual immediacy of the graffiti mark and the expressively worn patina of the walls that provide the substrate for graffiti artists. To echo this surface he applies thin layers of paint mixed with acrylic gel and masked off with imperfect registration so that there is the ghost record of previous layers. Biography - Selected Darrah is a Kingston-based artist. He was born in London, England, and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1968. He grew up in Edmonton, Alberta and graduated with a BFA from the University of Alberta in 1987 and earned a Master of Fine Art at the University of Windsor in 1995. Darrah has worked as an art dealer, curator, freelance writer, and taught art at Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, and White Mountain Academy. He is currently an elementary teacher with the Limestone District School Board and maintains a studio in Glenburnie, Ontario. His work can be found in private and public collections in North America and Europe. Ben Darrah - CURRICULUM VITAE Education Bachelor of Education, 2008 Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario - primary, junior and intermediate qualifications Master of Fine Arts Degree, 1995 specializing in painting University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, 1987 specializing in sculpture University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta Selected Exhibitions ~ Solo 2020 “Landmarks” ~ Hatch Gallery, Bloomfield, Ontario 2018 “Found Spaces” ~ verb Gallery, Kingston, On. 2015 “Askew” ~ Newburgh Gallery, Clarke Art & Projects, Newburgh, On. 2014 “Home is Where the Art is” ~ 276 Wellington Street, Kingston, On. 2014 “Accidental Landscape” ~ Kingston Temporary Public Art Project, Kingston, On. 2012 “About Ptuj” ~ ART STAYS 2012 10th Festival of Contemporary Art, Ptuj, Slovenia 2011 “Small Works” ~ Dwell, Kingston, On. 2010 “Record” ~ Mill Street Gallery, Sydenham, On. 2009 “Lost and Found” ~ Gallery at 129 Ossington, Toronto, On. 2008 “Frontier” ~ Rails End Gallery & Arts Centre, Haliburton, On. 2008 “Disruptive Pattern” ~ Gallery at 129 Ossington, Toronto, On. 2006 “Sense of Place” ~ Gallery at 129 Ossington, Toronto, On. 2005 “Threshold” ~ verb Gallery, Kingston, On. 2005 “Panel: Cabinet of Secret Desires” ~ Sarah Beveridge Contemporary, Barrie, On. 2004 “The Space Between” ~ The Swamp Ward Window Project, Kingston, On. 2004 “Present” ~ The Upstairs Gallery, Kingston, On. 2002 “PLACE” ~ verb Gallery, Kingston, On. 1997 “Vicinity” ~ James Allen Fine Art, Toronto, On. 1996 “Thinking of Clouds” ~ Alternative Grounds, Toronto, On. 1995 “At Play” ~ Common Ground Gallery, Windsor, On. 1995 “A Qualified Statement” ~ School of Visual Art, Windsor, On. 1994 “Canons Park Series” ~ Art Noise, Kingston, On. 1992 “Fuenté Studio Series” ~ The Book Shop Gallery, Kingston, On. Selected Exhibitions ~ Group 2020 “Unity Four” featuring the work of the Unity Road Studio Group, The Window Art Gallery, Kingston School of Art, Kingston, Ontario 2018. “Ace 40th Anniversary Alumni Exhibition” The Studio Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2017 “Annual Juried Exhibition” The Studio Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2016 “DIG” Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, On. 2015 “Citizen-Vox” Studio 22, Kingston, On. 2014 “Local-Locale-Contemporary” Clarke Art & Projects, Newburgh, On. 2014 “Another Space Gallery” 16th Annual Juried Members’ Exhibition, Modern Fuel Artist Run Centre, Kingston, On. 2013 “Home Is Where The Art Is” Annual Members’ Show & Sale, Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, Kingston, On. 2013 “Wish You Were Here – Interventions into Landscape” Union Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2012 North American Pavilion, ART STAYS 2012 10th Festival of Contemporary Art, Ptuj, Slovenia 2012 “I Am Water” ~ Window Art Gallery, Kingston, On. 2011 “Tis the Season” ~ SB Contemporary Art, Windsor, On. 2009 “Conflux” ~ Union Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2009 “Breaking Ground: Contemporary Landscapes” ~ The Art Gallery of Peterborough, Peterborough, On. 2009 “EEE – 5 Kingston Artists” ~ The Wilson Room, Kingston Frontenac Public Library, Kingston, On. 2008 “Washi Summit” ~ Gallery at 129 Ossington, Toronto, On. 2008 “The Quiet Child” ~ The Studio Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2007 “Post Camp” ~ Ben Darrah and Shelly Bahl Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, Kingston, On. 2007 “20 x 20” ~ Galerie Sandra Goldie, Montreal, Quebec 2006 “Toque Baroque” Ben Darrah and Paul Walde, McLaren Art Centre, Barrie, On. 2006 “Toque Baroque” Ben Darrah and Paul Walde, W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery, North Bay, On. 2005 “The Seventh Regional Juried Exhibition” Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, Kingston, On. - Juror – Andy Fabo 2005 “Making Marks” Sarah Beveridge Contemporary Art, Barrie, On. 2004 “December Small Works” Upstairs Gallery, Kingston, On. 2004 “The Sixth Regional Juried Exhibition” Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, Kingston, On. - Juror – Lois Andison 2004 Ben Darrah and Andrea Dodwell, Gallery Café, Kingston, On. 2003 “Kingston Insights Project” Kingston Arts Council Community Arts Project Agnes Etherington Arts Centre, Kingston, On. 2003 KAC Juried Art Salon, Wilson Room, Kingston, On. 2001 “December Group Show: Works on Paper” Fran Hill Gallery, Toronto, On. 2001 “Out of the Studio” White Mountain Academy Gallery, Elliot Lake, On. 2001 “North of 17” Lester B. Pearson Civic Centre, Elliot Lake, On. 2001 “Feel the Warmth” Lester B. Pearson Civic Centre, Elliot Lake, On. 1997 “Hinterland” (an exhibition on shared cultural identity curated by Ben Darrah) Artcite Inc., Windsor, On. 1995 “Ten” Edward Day Gallery, Kingston, On. 1994 “Site/Unseen” Gallery B312, Montreal, Quebec 1994 “Southwest Biennial” Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, On. guest juror: Jessica Bradley 1994 “Opening Titles” School of Visual Arts, Lebel Building Gallery, Windsor, On. Residencies 2012 ART STAYS 2012 10th Festival of Contemporary Art, Ptuj, Slovenia Curating 2005 “Tom Cummings (TC) – Gananoque Roots” Arthur Child Heritage Museum, Gananoque, On. 2004 “Tom Cummings Retrospective” ~ St. Lawrence College Gallery, Kingston, On. 1997 “Hinterland” ~ Artcite Inc., Windsor, On. Writing on Art “Absence of Light – New Installation by Don Maynard” (Spring 2007) Canadian Art Magazine Bi-weekly art reviews (March 2003 – May 2005) for the Kingston Whig Standard Regular contributor (2002-03) for the online magazine, Arts Business Exchange Bibliography Olivia Loncar-Bartolini, “Art Outside the Journal,” The Queen’s Journal, Vol 142, Issue 1, May 27, 2014 Gary Michael Dault, “Gallery Going,” The Globe and Mail, December 19, 2009 p.R13 David McCallum, “Talk About The Kingston Prize,” aired on “The Source” on TVCOGECO, May 21 & 22, 2009 Gary Michael Dault, “Gallery Going,” The Globe and Mail, February 9, 2008 p.R20 Greg Burliuk, “Take a summer trip beyond camp to challenge your senses,” The Ticket, Kingston Whig Standard, June 16, 2007 pp 8-9 Gary Michael Dault, “Gallery Going,” The Globe and Mail, December 23, 2007 p.R15 Lyn Rees Lambert, “New Exhibition by Ben Darrah goes up at verb,” Kingston This Week, (Kingston) July 12, 2005 Julia Mensink, “The Gallery That Could,” The Queen’s Journal, (Kingston) November 22, 2002 Melanie Dugan, “Artspaces,” The Kingston Whig Standard (Kingston), Nov. 23, 2002 Michele Casey, “Arts Focus,” Kingston This Week,(Kingston) November 12, 2002 Jack Liang, “You Are Here: Some Thoughts on Hinterland.” Hinterland Catalogue, 1997 Mark Sinnett, “ON HINTERLAND.” Hinterland Catalogue, 1997 Peter Christie, “Art Scapes.” The Kingston Whig Standard (Kingston), January 27, 1992 Selected Teaching and related Experience 2008 – present Teacher, Primary, Junior and Intermediate levels, Limestone District School Board 2012 – 2013 Mentor: Limestone Learning Foundation Crystal Ball Gala, Kingston, On. 2009 – 2011 Mentor: Artshift Mentor Project – Union Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2008 – 2016 Instructor: Painting – Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2006 – 2007 Advisory Committee Member, Union Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2003 – 2011 Instructor: Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Business for Artists - St. Lawrence College, Kingston, On. 2003 – 2005 Instructor: Business for Artists workshops – Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2003 – 2005 Steering Committee Member: Kingston Prize for Contemporary Portrait Painting – Kingston, On. 2004 Adjunct Professor: BFA Foundation Sculpture – Queen’s University, Kingston, On. 2003 Project Manager: Welcoming Diversity – Kingston Arts Council, Kingston, On. 2000 – 2002 Professor: Business for Artists, Drawing, 4th Year Seminar, Student Gallery Director, Curriculum Development, Arts Business Incubator – White Mountain Academy of the Arts, Elliot Lake, On. 1997 – 2000 Manager: Gallery One, Toronto, On. Panelist/Lecture 2012 Divining Meaning - Artist Talk – ART STAYS 2012, Ptuj, Slovenia 2006 The West Wind – Directions in Canadian Landscape Painting – Nipissing University, North Bay, On. - With Corinna Ghaznavi, Paul Walde and Dennis Geden 2005 Exporting Art Workshop, KEDCO, Kingston, On. 2003 Kingston Insights Project Panelist with Kathleen Sellars, Mitch Shewell, Deborah Brown, Sandra Jass, Jocelyn Purdie, Clark Mackey, Alana Kapell, York Lethbridge and Jill Battson 2003 Artist Talk – Queen’s University, Kingston, On. Awards/Grants 2009 OAC (Ontario Arts Council) Exhibition Assistance 2007 OAC Project Grant for Visual Artists 2006 OAC Exhibition Assistance 2005 OAC Exhibition Assistance Collections Darrah’s work can be found in private collections in Canada, U.S.A., Australia, Germany, Spain, Sweden, England, and Slovenia. |