-  Born in Transylvania, Romania, 1955.  Italian father and Romanian mother.

-  Studied philosophy and music.

-  Went to Ecole de Belle Art, Bucharest, Romania 1968 - 1975

-  Studied the technical skills of painting.          

-  After Ecole de Belle, became the official painter for former Romanian president Ceausescu.

-  Many of darida's works are in the permanent collection in The National Museum of Art Bucharest,       Romania.

-  In 1986, Darida escaped to Italy from the tyranny of government restrictions in Romania.

-  Received cudos from art critics in Italy and won The Formello-Roman International Prize for Painting    in Italy.

-  In 1988, final escape to America for freedom of expression to paint.

-  Studied at the American Academy of Art, Chicago, IL 1991 - 1992; mastered the contemporary and    modern techniques of painting.

-  Many of Darida's recent works in America are in the permanent collection in The Smithsonian          Institute, Washington, D.C.

-  Darida's paintings are oils on canvas which combine Flemish and Venetian techniques.

-  Detailed and precise drawing directly on canvas (to create texture).  This is very unusual.  Most     artists create and change as they work.  Darida does not have this luzury.

-  Daridea must see the complete painting before beginning to paint.

-  Darida "sculpts" the canvas first before layers of paintings are added.

-  Textural areas are built up by using Venetian paste.  There can be no mistakes...this "frames"            many areas of the work.

-  Ten to fifteen layers of paint are applied individually to give the translucent affect of flesh tone.

-  Creates inner luminescence and giving the old master fleshtone for realism.

-  Light comes from within ("...as in each of us when we are at peace") giving the Flemish master's         affect of Chiaroscuro - an affect of light and shadow that rembrandt uses.

-  Common Themes and Elements to Discuss with Potential Collectors

-  Music, Mother and Child, Women - Reflect the artist's passions and background (warm, close            family...mother and father love for each other romantically expressed in morning ritual)

-  Instruments are all from medieval period (harp, lira, ciola and ciolin - woman's shape, flute - sounds     like a whisper)

-  Warm colors are used to enhance sense of warmth and security.

-  Eyes - Why are all darida's eyes closed?  "Everybody has to close thier eyes to dream. 
  Sometimes, you do dream.  Sometimes you don't...but, you always hear the music                           better."

-  Simple Faces, Simple Shapes - "makes my subjects more accessable to the viewer"; reflects            innocence, childlike emotions (no conflict, no complexities).
 
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