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About Me
Dara Oshin
Life is always changing and so is my art. I think I have a different body of work for every stage of my life. I am a mother of 3 and I have had to continually pivot my approach to art and mothering for the past 20+ years in order to keep both alive. As a result, I have made work from traditional oil paintings and drawings to functional ceramics, quirky illustrations, golden sculptures, unusual photography, mixed media and more. At times I have had to focus on making WHAT I CAN instead of WHAT I WANT. This mindset has not only kept me creating but it has led me down some creative roads I never would had discovered if I had stuck to a predetermined path.
I discovered that making boiled eggs for lunch can become an entire body of work. I learned that the pain of facing world tragedies can be eased by drawing stick figures that express emotions of love and compassion. I learned that making still life paintings of rocks can keep me grounded. And most importantly, I learned that there are some of you that can see this in my work because you have been there too.
Artist Statement:
I am fascinated and inspired by nature and the transformation that happens throughout the life cycle. Creating still life artwork in two and three dimensions allows me to better observe the world around me so I can focus on and appreciate the beauty and magic of life on this earth. Ephemeral elements such as seed pods, sticks, lichen and other organic detritus can be found in much of my art. I find it mind boggling how these objects can simultaneously embody the opposing forces of life and death. I use a variety of mediums including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, assemblage and mixed media to make representational work that will often push boundaries to trick or tease the senses. I believe that nature is sacred. When creating my work, I try to be conscious of its impact on the environment. I prefer to work with recycled, up-cycled and found objects whenever possible and I choose non toxic and biodegradable materials whenever I can.
Artist Bio:
Dara Oshin is a visual artist working in a variety of media including painting, drawing, assemblage, photography and sculpture. She grew up in New Jersey on the edge of the woods and next to a farm where she spent her days immersed in nature. This early exposure to flora and fauna continues to inform much of her work today. After earning her BA with a major in English and a minor in Studio Art, she traveled and lived abroad for a decade. During that time she studied painting, drawing and pottery at a variety of schools and private ateliers. Dara’s work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions locally and abroad. In 2015, she Illustrated a children's book which won a Bronze Moonbeam Award. Dara currently lives in Brooklyn, NY with her family and her very fuzzy dog.
