Meet Emerging Artist Sydney Darrow - Inside Art with Michael Rose

Meet Emerging Artist Sydney Darrow - Inside Art with Michael Rose

 

 

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Many younger artists are leveraging the possibilities of realism in painting and drawing. Providence-based artist Sydney Darrow is at the forefront of this exploration locally, creating thoughtful realist images with a high level of technical skill and refinement. An active studio artist, Darrow is an important emerging talent who is cultivating an impressive creative career for herself in the region and beyond.

 

A multi-talented artist, Darrow grew up in the East Bay and had an interest in art early on. She credits the art courses she took in middle and high school in Tiverton’s public schools with shaping many of the skills she currently leverages in her practice as a realist painter and draftsperson. While she completed courses at the Maine College of Art, she has also taught herself a great deal and in the process has developed a vibrant illusionistic style. Through her hard work she has earned a large following, including over 17,000 fans on TikTok.

 

 

When reflecting on what it means to her to be an artist in the Ocean State, Darrow is cognizant of community. She says, “To me, being an artist in RI means contributing to our history, culture, and community. My goal as an artist may start with expressing my own thoughts and ideas; however, it continues on to a greater ambition, leaving a lasting impact that will bring honor and pride to our small state.”

 

Darrow’s artworks are underpinned by a commitment to realism and the careful study of life. She uses reference photos and often starts off her treatment of canvases with carefully composed grisaille underpaintings. She then shapes forms more broadly and subsequently moves on to the exquisite detail that has come to signify her practice. On her easel right now, she has an ambitious and large scale interior that draws on Baroque influences with a contemporary twist. She is also working on a series of skulls composed from fruits, which hint at other art historical precedents.

 

 

Darrow frequently shares her work in fairs and festivals including showings at Wickford Art Festival, Scituate Arts Festival, and Virtu Art Festival in Westerly. In 2022 earned top prize in HeARTspot Art Center and Gallery’s popular Art of Darkness Show and this past February, she was featured in Strike a Pose, an exhibition of figurative work at The Cape Cod Cultural Center. She was also commissioned by the Rhode Island Foundation to paint an impressive group portrait of their Inaugural Equity Leadership Graduating Class.

 

An accomplished artist who is already extremely active on the local scene, Darrow is one of six young artists participating in the WaterFire Accelerate professional development program for artists under age 30 in the state. As part of her involvement with Accelerate, Darrow is participating in two current exhibitions. The first is at UNFI Cafe and the second is at the WaterFire Arts Center’s BuyArt Show and Sale. BuyArt, WaterFire’s take on popular holiday small works shows, continues through January 7 and offers viewers the opportunity to take home a little painting by this gifted emerging artist.

 

 

 

Many of the artworks Darrow makes reflect on emotion and mental health. Her figures are often encircled in tangled abstract lines, sometimes stemming from their hearts. Through paintings like these, the artist hopes to make others feel connected by common stories. Asked what she hopes viewers find when looking at her art, Darrow says, “When people experience my work I hope they in some way feel seen. My work often touches on deeply rooted emotions/experiences that many people share. I think it's a beautiful thing how art can make a person feel less alone.”

 

Darrow’s paintings are sensitive representations of people and experiences, often probing the psyches of her subjects or examining the minutiae of the observable world. She has developed a facile hand, adept at crafting paintings that hint at classical realist traditions while still being in touch with contemporary motifs and modes of expression.

 

 

Looking forward, Darrow has ambitious aims for her practice as an artist. Among them, she says she wants to paint the official portrait for the nation’s first female president. Closer to home, she is preparing for a June 2024 exhibition with her fellow WaterFire Accelerate participants and hopes to continue to build her life as a practicing artist. She says, “I am looking forward to improving the quality of my work and developing my skill as an artist and business owner. I want to create a self sustaining practice and earn enough income with my passion that I can support my growing family.”

 

 

Learn more about Sydney Darrow and see additional examples of her artworks at her website www.sydneydarrowart.org. She can also be found on both Instagram and TikTok under the username @sydneydarrowart.