He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.
-St. Francis of Assisi

Artist Statement

Inspiration for my artwork comes from the beauty of the natural world, particularly the woodlands of my childhood home. I remember the joy of making mud pies in my backyard near the stream, where I also looked for salamanders under the rocks, and collected wildflowers. Butterflies, birds, fruits, flowers and insects are recurring motifs in my work.

I am interested in how nature can act as a metaphor, for instance, how to personify hope, aging, nobility, etc. Using the human head as a foundation, the flora and fauna serve as adornment, transforming into hair and jewelry. I sculpt the form, detail, and colors of creatures with an eye towards accurate representation, but these realistic elements transform into a surrealistic, fairytale-like whole. 

Biography

Dara has exhibited her ceramics in NY and the tristate area, including the Salmagundi Club in New York City, Studio Montclair, NJ, and New Hope Arts, Pa. She has studied sculpture at The Art Student’s League and the National Academy of Art, and ceramics at La Meridiana, in Certaldo Tuscany, along with various studios in NY city. In addition to ceramics, Dara paints in oils and watercolors, and works in stained glass. Dara grew up in Princeton, NJ. She earned a BA, Cum Laude in mathematics from Wellesley College, and a MA in Education from NYU. Dara lives and works in NY city.