Darren Quinn is an inspiration. He is a spirited artist and fearless individual. His artwork is
fresh and personal. Sensitivity paired with angst in a still life. Powerful, primitive portraits that stare out with dark intensity.
Fiery abstract collages of red paint and duct-tape. His personal world is experienced and expressed with the same lust for life that fills his art.
An astonishing accomplishment for someone who became a Quadriplegic after a near fatal car accident.
Darren overcame the physical and mental challenges of life in a wheelchair, he found a new way, and with it a heightened appreciation for life.
Armed with creative might, the power of his sense of humor, and brave adventurism,
Darren Quinn has gone on to accomplish everything the doctors told him was impossible.
Wind Surfing on Maui
In 2003 Darren Quinn, Jaques Pauvert and Richard Greene began the design phase of one of the most extradordinary windsurfing project in the history of the sport. Jaques and Darren mused on
what it would take to enable someone in Darren's physical condition to have a true windurfing experinece. They went to Maui based board builder Richard greene who is considered amoungst the best in the world.
The meeting resulted in a series of design experiements and the begining of a life long friendship. After serveral trial models, they finally reached a design based on a catamaran with a three hulled front end that put Darren
out in the thick of the action, was stable enough to carry both sailers and fast enough to cross the Molokai channel, an eight mile stretch of rough ocean between Maui and Molokai.
To prepare for the expedition Darren learned to scuba dive using an air tank to breath incase the cat-sail should capsized
during it's journey. On the day of the crossing everyone came out to support Darren. As he and Jacques sailed they were flanked by crew on 4 jet skies
a helocopter that was filming and the 'Red Rhino' an antique submarine sag boat that carried friends and family to cheer him on.
Darren and Jacques Pauvert sailing to Molokai
Q's Quest - Part One
Q's Quest - Part Two
Jaws
"Each winter, off the shores of Maui, a unique spectacle takes place: under utmost danger surfers, film makers,
and lifeguards face the ultimate challenge of their lives and hurl themselves into the tube of the hugest waves on the planet: JAWS." (Ka Nalu Nui - The Ultimate Surf)
Amoungst Darren's colorful entourage is Jaws surf legend Laird Hamelton and "Ka Nalu Nui" film maker Daniel Opitz.
In just a few years after the accident Darren started selling his first paintings within his diverse and exotic group of friends.
In 1991 he publicly showed his artwork for the first time. About a year later, with two partners, he had the opportunity to buy out an existing art gallery.
This was in Coronado California, the "Avenue Gallery." It was a bittersweet experience with about half a dozen successful shows, but a business disaster in the end.
Between the years of 1991 through May of 1995 Darren had six solo exhibitions, from Coronado to Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
After that he moved to Maui and continued to show in galleries and sell to private collectors and friends.
The Food Network's, Giada De Laurentiis
Darren met Todd Thompson in the student dorms while the two of them were attending the University of Utah in the 1980's. He has been one of Darren's closest friends and art collectors ever since.
Todd married his long time love Giada De Laurentiis in 2003. Darren created the first 'Amore.' painting for them as a wedding gift.
After the wedding, Todd and GIada bought a vinatge-modern Los Angeles bungalow and launched into a full scale remodel that was later featured as a cover story for Architectural Digest.
With that remodel the couple enlarged thier collection of Darren Quinn originals that so beautifully accented the mid-century modern meets high-design appeal of thier home.
Eventually Giada was inspired to featured Darren and his artwork on her 'Cooking at Home' show on the Food Network.
Being featured on national television has greatly expanded the number of collectors of Darren's art and admirers of his life.
The unpretentious artist has found the new attention both unexpected and exciting and he feels very thankful
to have had such a great opportunity to expose his art to a wider audience.
photos: TL = Darren, Tod and Giada at the Wedding, Left = Darren Tod and baby Jade, Right = Darren's artwork in Tod and Giada's home
Interview with Darren Quinn by David Whitney and Adrianne Martinez
Tell us about your life growing up.
"I was lucky because I was able to travel and see many places when I was growing up. I've been exposed to art my entire life, and
was always encouraged to be creative. So doing artwork has simply been a part of my life.
My other youthful interests were skiing and later golf, I eventually received a golf scholarship to the university of Utah in 1983."
Why do you paint?
"My entire life I have always created things and painted. I can't explain why, it's just always happened.
For me, it's both a feeling of accomplishment and the sense of creating something from nothing.
It's always seemed like the natural thing to do."
"In the fall of 1983, I introduced myself to an artist named Monte Lewis.
Although his teaching studio had been closed for years he agreed to take me on as his sole pupil.
This was my first real and formal education in painting.
Mr. Lewis was elderly; he always had a tweed coat and a pipe. He taught me by saying very little. I learned a lot from him."
What inspires you?
"I think inspiration can come from any number of different places, whether good or bad.
And this is something that can change from one day to the next. It can come from a piece of artwork that doesn't let you go,
it can come from a beautiful woman, or it can come from having a terrible day."
What are the personal experiences that have affected your life and art?
"Growing up,
Bowie's album Scary Monsters,
Camus's book The Stranger,
And a near fatal car crash."
"It was in 1984 that I decided to play golf professionally, later that same year is when the accident happened.
It was serious, and I spent close to 6 months in the hospital, I left a 20 year old Quadriplegic.
Everything had changed forever, far beyond my worst and best possible imagination. I
put it this way only because in everything there really is both good and bad that comes.
I spent about a year just trying to heal both physically and mentally and then I began to pursue therapies.
From the word go, the doctors told me to get used to a life, more or less, stuck in bed, without the use of my arms.
And I simply said to myself, Fuck That!
"I tried everything, some helped some didn't, never a dull moment though.
In 1986 I was doing some rehab therapy in Pomona California where an occupational therapist built me a hinged splint for my right hand.
With that I was able to crudely hold a pencil or pen, or paintbrush -
I think it sat around for about a year, Then one day, in the spring of 1987 I put it on and did a drawing with a sharpie marker.
The following week I got out my acrylics and painted my first five face portraits!"
What are you saying with your art?
"I'm not trying to say anything, I just like making people stop and look and think."
What is your process?
"Chaos and experimentation."
What are your plans for the future?
"To accomplish something extraordinary..."
Image Above: One of Darren's first paintings done after the accident.
Darren's artwork 'Happy Blue'
tattooed on film maker Daniel Opitz
Contact Darren
If you'd like to purchase artwork contact Darren's sales representative, Adrianne Martinez, via email,
click here.
To book an appearance or gallery show contact Darren's representative, Adrianne Martinez, via email,
click here.
