Monday, November 1, 2010

Deer Skull Still Life. Watercolor on Bristol. © Liz Darling  2010.
Ever since beginning my student teaching, I haven’t had much time for my own work. This still life is the result of sneaking away from motherhood, housework and lesson plans to paint with friends for an hour a week. It's totally on a different wavelength compared to what I've been doing, but working from life is always a good exercise.
Hopefully the end of the semester will bring more time for making artwork.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Obliterate. © Liz Darling 2010. 
"Driving is a spectacular form of amnesia. Everything is to be discovered, everything to be obliterated."
Jean Baudrillard

Friday, September 17, 2010

Very Hungry Caterpillar. © Liz Darling 2010. 

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Merry-Go-Round. © Liz Darling 2010. 

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Coming Home. © Liz Darling  2010. 
Kids. © Liz Darling  2010. 

Sunday, July 4, 2010

© Liz Darling  2010. 



My favorite

I found this glorious book in Axe Library - "Encyclopedia of Graffiti". It was calling to me when I was trying to study, so I had to take a break and explore it for awhile.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

This is probably my favorite thing of all time... ever...
Front Porch. © Liz Darling 2010. 
Garage. © Liz Darling 2010. 
These were taken in downtown Kansas City. There is some phenomenal street art in the area.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Window. © Liz Darling 2010. 
Distracted. © Liz Darling 2010. 
Dismayed. © Liz Darling 2010. 

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Making Art History - Seniors Say Farwell To PSU

This is an excerpt from an article in the Collegio, Pittsburg State University's student publication.

Elizabeth Darling

“The paintings exude fertility and religious imagery, a clash that Elizabeth Darling is drawn to. Her interest in the relationship between spirituality and sexuality comes across in her paintings, which sport sexual symbolism and common religious themes. Although this subject matter is not an easy one to tackle, Darling has been musing on this topic for a long time. ‘I’ve compiled some of the pieces that I’ve been working on for the past few semesters into a body of work that is somewhat cohesive,’ Darling said. ‘I think it’s probably been a little bit different for everyone. I chose to work with that particular content area.’ While the show was the premiere for several of her classmates, Darling has had a bit of experience with art displays. She participates in the University Artists Association, which allowed her to put out several of her works. However, this was her first experience with hanging an art show. Darling knew from the beginning what pieces and concepts she wanted to include in her show. However, especially when it comes to art, things don’t always go as planned. ‘I actually planned on having a lot more pieces that were within the same theme that were ready for the show, but I just didn’t get them done in time,’ she said. The artistic process for Darling has no set beginning or end, just a continuous cycle of creation. ‘It’s just a process, kind of an evolution,” she said. ‘As far as a time frame goes, there’s not really one.’”
- Madison Dennis

Thursday, May 13, 2010

These paintings are the bulk of my senior work:

The Empty Womb. Mixed Media Collage on Bristol. © Liz Darling 2010.

This body of work encompasses ideas about maternity, female sexuality, and religion. The experience of becoming a mother transformed the way I view the female body and the creation of life. Inspired by performing in Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues," I see the vulva as a symbol of feminine power.

This series also reflects my frustration with the Christian Church's role in patriarchal societies. I was raised in Christianity, and although I consider myself agnostic, I have been profoundly influenced by Christian ideas and teachings. I juxtaposed vulvas with the traditional style of religious iconography to connect the spiritual and visceral aspects of my experience as a woman as well as provoke thought about how Christianity (as well as other major Abrahamic religions) has been used to oppress, dominate, and marginalize women for centuries.


Transformation. Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling  2009.
Transformation (Detail). Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling  2009.

Cycles. Mixed Media on Canvas. © Liz Darling  2009.
Mandorla. Oil on Panel. © Liz Darling 2009.

Religion is one of the most pervasive controlling forces in society. The Christian Church creates and dominates cultural norms presently and historically. I am particularly interested in the dichotomy between the Church and female sexuality. By integrating vaginal imagery with the traditional style of religious iconography, I hope to make the viewer question the traditional role of women in religion and the relationship between sexuality and spirituality.

Bound For Grace. Oil and Collage on Canvas. © Liz Darling  2010.



Every day
I crucify myself
My heart is sick of being in
I said my heart is sick of being in
Chains
- Tori Amos, “Crucify”

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Lucid. Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling 2010.
Lunar. Oil and Collage on Canvas. © Liz Darling 2010.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Devour. Charcoal on Paper. © Liz Darling 2010.

Playing with scale.
What is meat?

Monday, April 26, 2010

My friends and I
I'm pretty sure our sweet cake was the best part.

Our senior show.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

© Liz Darling 2010.

© Liz Darling 2010.
A couple of paintings I put in Pittsburg’s Spring Artwalk.
Decent turnout, despite the sprinkling.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Intimate Space. Charcoal on Paper. © Liz Darling  2010.
Inspired by Georgia O'Keefe.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010


Our senior exhibit.
Reception is Friday, April 23 from 6-9 pm in the second floor gallery of Porter Hall.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Good Morning, Sunshine. Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling  2009.
Penetration. Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling  2009.

These will go in the senior exhibit…
I finally bought frames last night after much deliberation. I chose a renaissance-inspired frame for my iconic/Jesus/vagina piece (Mandorla) that is going in the show, simple black frames for the work above, and ornate brown frames for the other Jesus/vagina related work.
I wanted to get frames that suited the paintings without completely abandoning a sense of consistency. I guess we’ll see how they look in the gallery.
© Liz Darling 2010.

Drawing assignment. This is the cumulation of three slips of paper drawn out of a hat: “looking accross” / “a bedroom” / “at dawn or dusk.
Capital E. Marker on Bristol. © Liz Darling 2010.

Illuminated manuscript letter inspired by psychedelic fonts and psychedelic plants/fungi.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Paper Bag. Graphite on Paper. © Liz Darling  2010.
Back to observation. Graphite on Paper.
© Liz Darling 2010.

This is my first experience using Conté crayons. I haven’t decided yet whether the waxiness is a good thing or a bad thing. I have a tendency to approach everything (drawings especially) very tediously, perhaps too much so for Conté. The blending is awkward also. Using white over black produces a dull, milky gray, but black seems to do alright over white as long as it glides over without blending. The consistency of this medium is a lot like oil pastels, and suddenly I have an urge to experiment with them again.
Definitely a learning experience.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Beginning. Conté on Plastic Paper. © Liz Darling 2010.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Lemacado. Oil on Canvas. © Liz Darling 2009.

This painting was sort of a response to my painting professor’s commentary that my work was too focused on conceptualization over formalism. Lemon and avocado in hand, I sat down and painted this without first creating some elaborate conceptual goal in mind. Not that this painting addresses specific formal issues in the work either, but at least I was able to distance myself from over-analyzing the idea before I even created the piece. Occasionally I have a tendency to get so caught up in trying to express a certain point that my concern over the formal qualities goes by the wayside.
Anyway, I ended up pleased with the result and found that even while “painting on autopilot”, my work tends to follow in the same general direction. The lemon combined with the round pit of the avocado abstractly echos a human form, especially that of a pregnant woman. There seem to be repeating themes in my work that resurface again and again - intentionally or not.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

© Liz Darling 2010.

…And now for something entirely different. Trying to get away from ALWAYS using shallow-space compositions. Not that this entirely accomplishes that objective… but it’s a step in the right direction.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Photosynthesized. Gouache on Bristol. © Liz Darling  2010.

Just a little gouache painting. Right now it is hanging next to my sink and the water splatters have changed the surface of the piece.