Designer Profile
Jane Darin's Biography
 Jane Darin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, her parents and older brothers were college educated. They introduced her to museums, music and reading stories at an early age. As a child, she studied, dance, piano, golf, swimming and bridge. All of this affected how she approached dollmaking in later years.
She attended Catholic schools under the Sisters of Providence. At Butler University, a Christian college, she graduated with a major in English and a minor in Education. She met and married her first husband and had five children.
Divorcing in 1970, Jane raised her children alone until meeting and marrying Joe Darin, an award-winning architect. The couple settled in San Diego. When the children left the nest, Jane wrote a letter to God asking, "What shall I do now?" Her cloth doll art began as a result of that letter.
Jane continued to develop her spiritual life with studies from an Indian teacher. She credits her innovative approach to her one-of-a-kind art dolls to her spiritual growth under the guidance of Sathya Sai Baba whose main tenant is "Love All, Serve All." "Sometimes the only way a person knows God loves and cares for them is through the kindness shown by each of us." He encourages his devotees to do service where they live and as a result, Jane and Joe have maintained a quilting project in their home for thirty-one years. Volunteers make quilts that are given free to those in need of comfort.
Education:
• Bachelor of Arts in English, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
• Studies in business and accounting, California State Univ. Fullerton, CA
• Studied for a master's degree in English, SD State Univ., San Diego, CA
• Studied art, Palomar Community College, San Marcos, CA
• Studies with Marlaine Verhelst & Ankie Danaan, Dutch Doll Artists
• Studies with E. J. Taylor, English Doll Artist
• Studies with Michael James, American Quilt Artist & Colorist
• Studies with Akiko Bourland, Japanese Ikebana Artist
• Studies with Maher Marcos, Egyptian Fine Art Sculptor
How my one-of-a-kind cloth dolls can be enjoyed in three layers.
1. In the first layer you may
a. See the expressive faces.
b. Feel the moods suggested by the posture.
c. Observe the subtle play of light and shadow.
d. Catch an indication of eminent motion.
e. Your pleasure increases as you study this layer.
2. In the second layer
a. You walk around them.
b. The dolls add time and space to their three dimensions.
c. There is no real back or front.
d. There is a continuous series of interesting views.
e. You enjoy the textures, the patterns and the color of the surfaces.
3. In the third layer
a. The piece reminds you of a connection in your life.
b. You keep on looking.
c. You chose one to take home.
d. You find the perfect place to display your choice.
e. You feel happy to discover new enjoyment every day.
The Benefits of Learning Art Dolls:
• Spark your own passion for creating.
• Improve your current dollmaking skills.
• Gain self confidence in your creative process.
• Learn new ways to add expression to your dolls.
• Learn to increase the appeal of your art.
If you could add to your dollmaking skills, have fun and pay a reasonable price, would you do that?
 HOW I TEACH:
John Holt, an educator, said, "We learn to do something by doing it. There is no other way." In my Courses you learn by doing. Some of my Courses are process and some are product oriented.
What does that mean?
It means that you can work on your own dolls. I teach you techniques and processes to add new details to what you are doing. As a result, you can approach the same Course repeatedly, each time adding skills to your dollmaking.
We're starting on a great adventure and our first stop is five courses with cross-training subjects that made the most difference in how I made my dolls and the pleasure I had in making them. I hope you find your favorite stories to tell and along with this information add to your voice. I love that we're doing this together, a great new adventure for you and for me, a Course."
Publications
• The Love Formed Human, Tokyo, Japan
• Finishing the Figure, C & T. Publishing
• Designing the Doll C & T Publishing
• The Anatomy of a Doll, C & T Publishing
• Cloth Dolls from Ancient to Modern, Doll Museum, Newport, RI
• Poppen & Geppetto Magazine, The Netherlands.
• Contemporary Doll Collector Magazine - various issues
• Dolls Magazine - various issues
• Soft Dolls & Animals! - various issues
• Doll Reader Magazine - various issues
• The Cloth Doll Magazine - various issues.
• Holiday Treasures at the White House brochure, Washington, D. C.
Professional Art Organizations
• National Sculpture Society, New York, NY *
• President of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild, San Diego, CA *
• Combined Organizations of the Visual Arts (COVA), San Diego, CA *
• California Art Club, Pasadena, CA
• San Diego Portrait Society*
• National League of American Pen Women, Washington, D.C. *
• Market Street Group, San Diego, CA *
• Imitation of Life Construction Company (IOLCC), San Diego, CA
• Quilt San Diego, art quilt organization, San Diego, CA
• Academy of American Doll Artists (AADA) *
• Pacific Quilt Artists *
• Canyon Quilters, North County Quilters, San Diego, CA
*Juried member
Exhibitions (invitational)
• San Diego Maritime Museum Fine Art Exhibit, San Diego, CA
• SDMA Artist Guild All Members Show – Artist's Choice, Chula Vista, CA
• "Hot August Nights," Marjorie Taylor Gallery, San Diego, CA
• National Orange Show, San Bernadino, CA
• Market Street Group, San Diego
• "As Time Goes By", La Jolla Art Association, La Jolla, CA
• Art Gallery of Kent Wilson, San Diego, CA
• "Synergy Energy and Motion," Fire Arts Sculpture Gallery, San Diego, CA
• Southwestern College Gallery, Chula Vista, CA
• "The Art of the Doll", Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco, CA
• "Fifth International Open", Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
• Santa Fe Doll Art, Santa Fe, NM
• Albuquerque Museum, NM
• New York Toy Fair, New York, NY
• AADA Toy Fair Preview Show, New York, NY
• "Fantasy Showcase" LA Jolla Fiber Art Gallery, La Jolla, CA
• Shin-Seiki "Millennium Doll Exhibition", Tokyo, Japan
• The Museum of Arts and Sciences, Macon, GA
• International Doll Art, Chicago, IL (Twice)
• Edith Lambert Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
• Santa Fe Doll Art Symposium, Santa Fe, NM (Three times) One year as a judge
• "The Cutting Edge," Wenham Museum, Wenham, MA
• "Butterfly Encounter," Art Installation, IDEX Conf., San Francisco, CA
• Contemporary Art Quilts & Clay Forms," Palomar College, San Marcos, CA
• Combined Organizations for the Visual Arts, Open Studio, San Diego, CA
• "Dolls: Mirrors of Humanity," Mingei Museum, San Diego, CA
• "Dimensions in Doll Making", San Diego, CA (Twice)
• "People Play: The Art of the Toy," Spruill Center for Arts, Atlanta, GA
• "It Seams Funny to Me," Amer. Museum of Quilts & Textiles, San Jose, CA
• Dollco Show, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, NY
• "Gingerbread Lane," Horton Plaza, San Diego (People's Choice, First Prize)
• One Woman Show, Old Town, San Diego, CA
• Cloth Doll Exhibition, NIADA Convention, Anaheim, CA
• "Sensorial Impressions," Porter Troupe Gallery, San Diego, CA
• Art of Caring Hospice Benefit, San Diego, CA
• San Diego County Fair, Exhibition of Fine Art
• Fifth International Show, Woman Made Gallery Chicago, IL
• William Cannon Gallery, Carlsbad, CA
• "Dynamic Dolls", Coyote Woman Gallery, Harbor Springs, MI
• Dolls for the New Millennium: The Figure in Cloth 2000/2001
• Aral Exhibition, Brighton Beach, Sussex, England
• American Craft Council, San Francisco, CA
• 516 Magnifico Art Space, Albuquerque, NM
• Invitation to create ornament for White House Christmas Tree
• Ventura Museum of History and Art, Ventura, CA
• One Woman Show, Riki Schaffer Gallery, Pontiac, MI
• "Dolls in Nature," Schloss Farrach, Austria
• Rosalie Whyel Doll Museum, Seattle, WA
• "The Joyful Vision," Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA
• "A Night at the Opera," Gallerie Enchantment, Corning, NY*
• "The Road to California, Crossroads Cloth Doll Exhibit, Ontario, CA (First prize, Best of Show)
 Awards
• Honorable Mention in Sculpture, San Diego County Fair, Exhibit of Fine Art
• San Diego Prize (top prize in fine art) San Diego County Fair, Exhibit of Fine Art
• Dolls Magazine Award of Excellence Nominee
• Special Presentation Artist's Award, Santa Fe Doll Art, Santa Fe, NM
• Viewer's Choice, Best of Show, Horton Plaza Gingerbread Lane, San Diego, CA
• First Place, Cloth - Santa Fe Doll Art Symposium, Santa Fe, NM
• Best of Show -Crossroads Cloth Doll Exhibit, Ontario, CA
• Viewer's Choice - Canyon Quilters Challenge, San Diego, CA
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