Darlene Campbell

My name is Darlene Franklin-Campbell. My family calls me Dardet. I'm an author, artist and teacher. Art is my first love in life. I believe it is the job of the artist of to serve as a window into other realms, to remind our fellow earth-travelers that here and now are not all there is. I hope to show the spiritual in the ordinary and the beautiful in the natural. I want people to look at my work and be stirred by something elemental, primordial, and eternal. I want to awaken the great wonderment of life in myself and in others.

I received my Master of Arts from Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky. In my undergrad work I carried a double minor in Art and English. My goal was to become an Art teacher, which is what I now do for a living, but throughout the years I have continued to paint on commission, completing many murals and portraits. In 2019, I made the decision to establish myself as an artist as I am nearing retirement from teaching and wish to dedicate my future to producing my own artistic visions.

My work is currently a part of a traveling exhibit with the Kentucky Arts Council. In February 2020, I was the featured artist at the Lucretia Begley Gallery. I was slated to be the featured artist with the Boyle County Library (Danville, KY) in conjunction with the Jeanne Penn Lane Writer's Celebration and in connection with Centre College, but that event was canceled due to COVID 19