Biography

After a 20-plus year career in aging and long-term care, Darlene Weaver has made the commitment to return to her passion of creating oils on canvas of subjects that fill her senses and move her soul. You will recognize her realistic figurative paintings which depict people in peaceful contemplation, or evoke a sense of happiness, togetherness and contentment. Quiet scenes from nature often include children or objects that have a story begging to be told. Old people are a favorite of hers and are painted to portray a dignity conveyed by someone who loves them deeply.

Some might say that those 20 years were just a sly procrastination from doing her art. After all, she did start out in the field as an art therapist which allowed her to make a living while helping others through the healing power inherent in the creative process. Seemed like a good plan.

But alas, it took her on a different path and led her into the mysterious world of old age and brain diseases. She came pretty close in the late 90’s to making the switch back to art. She even made a pilgrimage, hours away, to see her former painting teacher, Jim Pollard. But delving deeply into the creative process is hard, especially when it means letting go of what you have come to know that feels safe. For Darlene, it was even harder than acquiring a master’s degree in gerontology (the study of aging) which is what she did instead.

So, rather than a resume that lists galleries, collections, and awards for her paintings, she accumulated a 3-page vita that includes things like: program design, development and implementation; facility management; dementia specialist; presenter of seminars and workshops; consultant.

And instead of affiliations with art organizations, hers include memberships in things like the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the American Society on Aging (ASA) and the National Wellness Institute (NWI).

In recent years, the urge to paint became overwhelming once again and she realized it was time. Not doing so would keep her from being complete. She is grateful for those years, however. All that she experienced, learned, overcame and accomplished have helped her be a better artist. And all of the beautiful people that she met along the way? Well, she wouldn’t trade them for any awards she might have accumulated. They have pried her heart wide open and helped to make her who she is today.

Darlene is a life-long Wisconsin native who loves the variety the four seasons has to offer, but also enjoys traveling to other parts of the country to gather ideas for her paintings. She has a husband, three children, six grandchildren and a very large and loving extended family, many of whom have become the subjects of her paintings. She resides and has her studio in Waukesha County.