Darren Baker
Following his graduation from Bradford Art College in 1998, Darren Baker has quickly risen to fame, exhibiting widely with shows throughout Europe, Japan, North America and the UK, including New York and London. He has also developed an impressive portfolio of sports portraits for clubs and personalities alike, with his appointment as official artist of The Professional Footballer’s Association (PFA) affording him considerable recognition within the celebrity industry.
Baker has subsequently produced portraits for other sporting personalities including David Ginola, Peter Schmeichel, Henrik Larsson, Prince Naseem, Nigel Mansell and Jonny Wilkinson, and PFA Footballer of the Year portraits for John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Teddy Sheringham, as well as a tribute to ex-Huddersfield forward Frank Worthington, based on black and white photographs of the player. Sporting clubs who have promoted his art include Manchester United, Leeds United, Glasgow Celtic, Bradford City, Yorkshire Cricket, and Leeds Rhinos. In 1999 a major exhibition of Baker’s work took place at Leeds Civic Hall. The Leeds United Retrospective saw over 30 players represented in oils and pastels, attracting regional and national TV, radio and press attention.
Darren Baker has also been commissioned to produce portraits for HRH Prince Charles and Tony Blair, which hang in St James Palace and Downing Street respectively, and in 2008 he was commissioned to produce a portrait of Her Majesty the Queen to commemorate her 85th birthday; an accolade accorded to a very small number of painters in the monarch’s lifetime. Baker has also been apointed an official artist to the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Darren Baker’s works span a number of art subjects including interiors, figurative works, equestrian and ballet studies, portraits and landscapes, however, it is his still-life’s which now attract critical acclaim. Taking inspiration from the Old Masters and contemporary realist painters, Darren Baker has become a leading light in the genre of Classical Realism, receiving numerous awards including best artist at The Fine Art trade guild ceremony in London and The Garrick Prize, Christies, London. His contemporary paintings are increasingly sought-after by collectors internationally and hang in both public and private collections including the House of Lords, Downing Street and St James Palace.
Artist Statement
Painting is my life force and my work is wrought from an unswerving desire to understand paint, art and the subjects I observe. My work owes much to the great exponents of still-life and portraiture. Classical tradition underpins my painting and vision. Every new piece is a statement of intent: to improve and to better understand the subject. My studies and observations of the Old Masters inspire and inform my art, though I also rely heavily on contemporary influences. I aim to be of my own time whilst also acknowledging the past.
Education
1998 BA (Hons) Art and Design, Bradford College, Bradford
1998 Life Painting, Bradford College, Bradford
1997 Drawing/Painting, Slade College, London
1997 Photoworks, Huddersfield Technical College, Huddersfield
1995 TEC Foundation in Art and Design, Huddersfield Technical College
Exhibitions
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
2009 Season of Still Life, Opus Art, Newcastle upon Tyne
2006 Art of Realism, Rep Theatre, Birmingham
2005 New Paintings, The Grove, Ilkley
2004 Darren Baker: Paintings, Bonhams
2003 Darren Baker, Holmfirth Art Week
2002 Darren Baker, St Martins Lane Hotel, London
2001 Darren Baker: Paintings, Massarella Fine Art, Saltaire
2000 Darren Baker, Hanover Gallery, Liverpool
1999 Leeds United Retrospective, Leeds Civic Hall, Leeds
1999 Darren Baker, AC Gallery, Huddersfield
1998 Debut, Drury Lane Gallery, London
1998 Darren Baker, Michael Walker Fine Arts, London
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS & ART FAIRS
2006 Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London
2005 Winter Exhibition, Soloman Gallery, Dublin
2005 Antique and Arts Fair, WH Patterson Fine Arts, Chicago
2005 Summer Exhibition, Gladwell and Co, London
2005 Art Expo, New York
2005 Sporting Calendar, WH Patterson Fine Arts, London
2005 The Watercolour and Drawing Fair, Royal Academy, London
2005 Select 6, Oakham Galleries London
2004 Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London
2004 Six Artists, WH Patterson Fine Arts, London
2004 From the Palette, WH Patterson Arts, London
2003 British Art Fair, Commonwealth Institute, London
2003 Fine Art Trade Guild Exhibition and UK Tour, Various Locations, UK
2003 Garrick/Milne Prize, Christies, London
2003 Harrogate Gift Fair, Harrogate
2003 Artists Showcase, Unilever, Port Sunlight, Wirral
2003 Tradition with a Twist, Frank T Sabin, London
2003 Not the Turner Prize, Mall Galleries, London
2003 The Art of Pastel, W H Patterson Fine Arts, London
2003 Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London
2002 Christmas Show, W H Patterson Fine Arts, London
2002 Summer Show, Halcyon Gallery, London
2002 Musical Interlude, W H Patterson Fine Arts, London
2002 Pastel Society, Mall Galleries, London
2001 Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham
2001 Society of Landscape Artists, Mall Galleries, London
2001 Weaverbird Art Fair, Bolton Abbey Exhibition Centre, Skipton
2001 Yorkshire Open, Wakefield Arts Mill, Wakefield
2001 Gallery Artists, Manchester Art House, Manchester
2001 Leeds Open, Leeds City Art Gallery, Leeds
2001 Stockport Open, Stockport Art Gallery, Manchester
2001 Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London
2001 Paperleaf Art Fair, Battersea Arts Centre, London
2001 Gallery Artists, Collins and Hastie, London
2000 NYAD UK Art Show, DFN Gallery, New York
1999 L.U.P.M.A, Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds
1999 Cheltenham Open, Cheltenham and Gloucester College, Cheltenham
1999 Manchester Academy of Fine Arts, Bury Art Gallery, Bury
1998 Chichester Open, Sotheby’s Auction House, Leeds
1998 Middlesbrough Open, Cleveland Gallery, Middlesbrough
1998 Bradford Open, Cartwright Hall, Bradford
1997 Holmfirth Open, Holmfirth Civic Hall, Holmfirth
1997 Contemporary College, Cubal Cain Foundation, Harrogate
PRESS
1999 Amber Cowan, Metro, Guardian
1999 Hugh Sleight, The Art of Football, Match magazine
1999 Neil Jeffries, Painter Man, Leeds Magazine
1999 Karen Joyner, Features, Yorkshire Evening Post
1999 John Woodcock, Heroes Stand United, Yorkshire Post
1999 Ian Dennis, Leeds Retrospective, Radio Leeds, Leeds
1999 Verity Hughes, Radio Aire, Leeds
1999 Look North, What's On, BBC North
1999 Nigel Bunyan, Leeds Retrospective, Daily Telegraph, London
1999 Nixon Bashir, Darren Baker, Eastern Eye, London
1999 Karen Joyner, Soccer Art is a Winner, Yorkshire Evening Post
1999 Tony Pogson, Features, Huddersfield Examiner, Huddersfield
1999 Richard Purvis, Art Auction, Pulse FM
1999 Robin Capon, Sporting Art, Leisure Painter magazine
COLLECTIONS
2008 Her Majesty the Queen, 85th Birthday Portrait
2006 Moments of 2005, PCA, London
2005 Freddie Flintoff, PCA, London
2005 John Terry portrait, PFA
2005 Wales Grand Slam artwork, Team Wales
2004 England Rugby, ERU, Twickenham
2004 Painting Tribute, Crown Paints
2002 Pope John Paul portrait, Danbury Mint
2002 World Cup paintings, Halcyon Gallery, Mayfair
2002 Footballer of the Year portrait, PFA
2001 Cottingley Waterfall, Dominic Brunt (Emmerdale)
2001 Footballer of the Year portrait, PFA
2001 Jimmy Armfield portrait, PFA
2000 Coronation Street montage, Granada TV
2000 Frankie Dettori portrait, Classic Management
1999 Lestyn Harris montage, Tom Carroll & associates
1999 Henrik Larsson montage, Glasgow Celtic A.F.C
1999 Bradford City A.F.C montage, Asics Sportswear
1999 Michael Jordan montage, EBBA Headquarters English Basketball Association
1999 Prince Naseem portrait, Prince Promotions
1999 Billy Bremner montage, Leeds United A.F.C
1998 Frank Worthington portrait, Huddersfield Town A.F.C
PROJECTS & AWARDS
2012 Official Artist, Olympic Games, London
2005 Shortlisted for Yorkshire Young Achievers Award
2004 Shortlisted for Not the Turner Prize, London
2003 Shortlisted for The Garrick prize
2003 Fine Art Trade Guild Acclaimed Artwork
2001 RBSA Newcomer Award (Pastel)
2000 IGA Prize Winner, British Art Show
2000 Zeneca Prize, Holmfirth Art Show
1999 Gallery Curator, Framing Gallery, Leeds
1998 First Prize, Bradford Open Art Exhibition
1998 Rossington Award in Figurative Painting, Cleveland Council
