After 28 years as a Design and Technology teacher, Darren began a new career in 2018. He started to create bespoke insect houses with reclaimed pallet wood, using organic fillings to give an interesting appearance to an otherwise practical product. As well as old pallets, he began to salvage a variety of metal items from local industry to upcycle.
The desire to create more challenging shapes and forms led to the idea of making insect houses that looked like insects. A self-taught welder, this allowed Darren to bring a more three-dimensional aspect to his work.
The majority of his work continues to develop the combination of organic materials with metal to create unique, nature-inspired pieces. His designs are evolving on a weekly basis. The metal he sources inspires the shape and form the raw materials will take, feeding the creative process. Each piece is hand crafted and totally individual.
He describes his work as garden art, with space for nature. However, he points out that his pieces are equally at home indoors as purely decorative objects.
Darren is based near Romsey, in Hampshire.
