The theme of her exhibition, “Sublimity in Gold,” was sparked by Darling’s life-changing whitewater rafting trip on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. She experienced treacherous rapids and overwhelming waves.
Then, “on land we scrambled through bouldered trails and crumbling cliffs,” she said. “There were moments of quiet contemplation as we walked in between walls of rock in the depths of slot canyons, interrupted by obstacles of stagnant water or greater heights to climb — one step at a time.”
Tess was inspired by her “highly sought-after journey, seen through the golden hue of its value — enlightenment, ancient knowledge, and danger,” she explained. “The gold lens transcends time and place; the richness of Earth and its sublimity does not end. There’s gold in the perspective of a journey through the wildness of the natural world.”
