For many years I painted realism in oils before making the change to oriental brush painting. Studying martial arts for years inspired me to try this medium, which I fell in love with right away. The calming effect of grinding the ink before painting, the energy that is put into throwing ink on paper is just the greatest of pleasures that only this style of art allows me to feel.

I grew up in the country in Tennessee where all of my spare time was spent walking in the woods searching out bugs, plants and anything else that was alive. Those childhood days spent with nature is brought alive every time I put a brush stroke down on paper. All of my paintings are derived from nature.

The paintings are from the very simple, elegant brush stroke of the bamboo orchid to the complicated soothing landscapes that your eyes can take a journey up into the mountains and off into the mist before returning home.

Subtlety of a good painting lies in its being alike and yet unlike the subject where the absence of content can itself create rhythm and variety.

I believe that an artist is a person who can see something within the mind that can be brought into reality where it can be seen, felt, touched, heard, and even sometimes smelled.

Darlene Kaplan, award winning artist, owner of Soft Brush Studio. Teaches Oriental Brush Painting classes in Lingnan style to all levels. Professional artist, local exhibitions, sells to private, business, and coporate art collectors. Visit my web-page www.darlenekaplan.com email for a private viewing in her stuido at chineseart@darlenekaplan.com or phone 703-922-4175.
Kaplan also teaches Chinese Brush Paintings at the Workhouse in Building 5. Please contact the business office for more details on her classes.

BIOGRAPHY

As a child, drawing was my passion. Was brought up on a farm in Mulberry, Tennessee, which is still owned by my family. Was the ninth of ten children, and idolized my older brother, who could draw well. Would watch him for hours imitating him while drawing on anything ready at hand.
Started oil painting seriously in 1976. At the time I was living in Decatur, Alabama, where I was employed as Chief Technologist of the Electrocardiogram, Encephalogram, and Graded Exercise Testing department. Working days at the Decatur General Hospital and attending night classes at the University of Birmingham, Alabama left me little time to pursue my avocation and great love of art. However, as soon as I received my degree, enrolled for night classes in Art 1 and Art History at Calhoun Community College in Athens, Alabama. This is a small town close to Decatur, Alabama. I attended Calhoun from 1977 through 1979. Also joined the Decatur Art Guild and displayed my work in various community centers during 1977 and 1979.
In 1981 I resigned as a Registered Cardiology Technologist and moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and accompanied my husband on his job-related travels. While on these trips, as my husband would leave for work, I would set up a portable easel and paint on location or in the motel room. Included with all my painting and drawing supplies was a 35mm camera. On the days that my paintings were too wet to work on, would go scouting for subjects for later work with my camera and a drawing pad. Have a variety of realistic oil paintings, which were completed, while traveling throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Thailand, and the Middle East. All of these paintings were oil on canvas.
From 1982 through 1984 I studied with Danni Dawson in figure and portrait drawing in oils and pastel, at The Art League School in Alexandria, Virginia. From 1984 until 1988 I took further classes in Landscape and Still Life in oils, from Diane Tesler, also at The Art League.
In 1995, I started classes in Oriental brush paintings with Henry Wo. This art is on rice paper and the medium is mineral and ink. I was interested in this style of art because of my martial arts/Tai Chi' training. The Chinese believed that to be a well rounded person one had to have experience in the following: martial arts, painting, medicine, poetry, and music. Have the ranking of 3rd degree black belt in freestyle karate, have been painting for over 30 years, worked in the hospital for many years, play the violin, but so far no poetry. That will be next on my list of things to do.