Darren Umbsaar

Artist's Bio

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Darren Umbsaar was born in Calgary, AB in 1995. Being raised in a city so close to the  mountains allowed Darren to pursue hiking and photography from a young age, and over the years he has developed an ever-growing fascination with the wild beauty of the Canadian Rockies. Darren obtained both BSc. and MSc. degrees in Geology from the University of Calgary (U of C), and during his studies he found time to develop his painting skills as a self-taught artist, inspired by his mountain adventures and spurred onwards by his knowledge of earth science. Darren has been painting full time since 2021, at which time he joined his first gallery-- Avens Gallery in Canmore.

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Many of Darren's works tend to highlight the rugged, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature of the mountains; he strives to depict the mountains with a lively balance of their realistic rawness and their magical, idyllic allure. Darren is equally likely to paint a grand, sweeping vista of summits in the morning sun, or a lowly pile of boulders in a streambed; the possibilities are endless for a landscape painter in the vastness of the Canadian Rockies.

Inspired by both contemporary impressionists and old masters, Darren's primary objective is to produce eye-catching compositions and a strong sense of lighting and atmosphere by the build up of layers of acrylic paint. Currently, Darren's work is represented at Avens Gallery in Canmore, AB, and Art on 9th in Invermere, BC. He attends a number of shows throughout the year in Calgary, so be sure to follow him on social media so you don't miss his next showings!

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