Darwin Nordin is an accomplished artist and naturalist. He has been exploring the natural world, and has been a “maker” all his life. As a child growing up in a rural community, he found wonder close at hand, in the flora and fauna that surrounded him. Darwin's life, work, and studies, have allowed him to hone his skills of observation, creative inquiry, and art making. Nature is his muse. Art making is a daily practice, providing meaning and insight to the world around him.
Darwin studied painting and fiber arts at the University of Wisconsin at River Falls (BFA), and drawing, painting, sculpture, at Claremont Graduate University (MFA). Following school Darwin moved to the Pacific Northwest where he continues to create art. Darwin's commitment to the creative process and his passion for sharing with others, provided the foundation for his thirty-year career as a teaching artist. He has taught in private and public schools, worked with youth in juvenile detention, and has been engaged in creating learning experiences for various arts and non-profit organizations. Darwin has shown nationally, his work has appeared in numerous group and solo exhibitions. His work is in both private and public collections, and his work has received notable recognition and awards. He currently is a member of the Core Gallery, a curated collective, in Seattle WA.
Statement
Forms and structures in nature inspire me.
I balance periods of working without premeditation and working with a direction - with focused study and depiction of nature. The translucency and layering found in my drawings, paintings and prints echo a world seen into; a world examined on many levels and layers simultaneously; a world where chaos and order co-exist. By seeing into multiple layers, I can remove myself from the present and enter the bigger mysteries of the natural world.
My artwork celebrates that we all are nature and beauty.