Darien was born in Sydney and grew up in Canberra. After studying at the National Art School in Sydney and at the Canberra School of Art, he moved to Melbourne. He graduated from Prahran College of Advanced Education with a major in Painting and sub-majors in Drawing and Printmaking.
In 1984 he began working for Meridian Sculpture, a prominent Melbourne foundry, and has worked with many highly regarded Australian sculptors including John Dowie, Jan Brown, Peter Corlett, Brett Whiteley and Robert Klippel. In 1985 he began his teaching career at Chisholm Institute of Technology, Melbourne (Monash University), and at the Council of Adult Education. In 1992 he began his long association with Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) where he began teaching Painting and Drawing. This has led to Master Classes, Life Drawing, Individual Workshops, Children’s Art Classes and the curating of many exhibitions. Darien divides his studio time between painting, drawing and sculpture in his Melbourne studio.
He continues to work at Meridian Sculpture foundry making moulds, preparing waxes for bronze casting, and working on collaborative sculpture projects.
He has travelled extensively throughout Europe, USA and Central America.
20+20 Exhibition
FCAC life members and dedicated artist-tutors, Darien Pullen and Robert Mangion, have been challenging, inspiring, and working with local artists for more than 20 years. This exhibition showcases these two very different artists and explores their continuing influence on the artists they have taught.
Opening Thursday 2 October, 6pm-8pm. Exhibition 2 October – 2 November. Venue FCAC Roslyn Smorgon Gallery.
Main Exhibitions, Projects and Commissions
2018 Personal Experience, Group Exhibition, Roslyn Smorgon Gallery, Footscray, Victoria
White Dog sculpture commission for White Dog Pilates Studio, Footscray, Victoria
2017 Yarri sculpture commission for Cootamundra-Gundagai Council, New South Wales
2016 fr. Geoghegan sculpture commission for St Francis Church, Melbourne
St Patrick sculpture commission for Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus
2015 Marrickville Winged Victory, sculpture commission for Marrickville Council, Sydney
2014 20+20; FCAC, Melbourne
Drawing Commission, Bethany Primary School, Tarneit, Melbourne
Sculpture Commission, creating bronze logo for St Ali Coffee House, Melbourne
2013 Sculpture Commission, Gantner family, Melbourne
2012 Apples from the Tree; group exhibition, Roslyn Smorgon Gallery, Melbourne
Decorative sculptures for Crown Casino, Melbourne
2010 Artists’ Books; Group Exhibition, Elsie Gallery, Malmsbury, Victoria
Sculpture commission, Melbourne Rebels Shield, Melbourne
2005 Toorak Village Festival of Sculpture; Group Exhibition, Melbourne
2003 Sculpture Group Exhibition, Brian Moore Gallery, Sydney
2002 Naked; Group Exhibition, Brian Moore Gallery, Sydney
Bloke; Group Exhibition, Collingwood Gallery, Melbourne
Strange Fruits; Group Exhibition, MREAM Gallery, Melbourne
2001 MREAM Group Show; Footscray, Melbourne
2000 Sculpture Commission, Murdoch Family, Melbourne
ANZAC Memorial Sculpture for Museum of Australia, Canberra
1999 “Regroup”;Group Exhibition, Gabriel Gallery, FCAC, Melbourne
Sculpture Commission, ‘Digit’ Award, Melbourne
1997 Group Show, Ryco Warehouse, Footscray, Melbourne
Hoechst Art Competition; Special Merit Awards, Altona, Melbourne
1996 Meridian Bronzes, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, Victoria
1994 Christmas Group Show, Meridian Gallery, Melbourne
Sculpture at Ashcombe Maze, Shoreham, Victoria
1993 Tutor’s Exhibition, Gabriel Gallery, FCAC, Melbourne
1992 Alice Bale Award Finalist, Melbourne
Christmas Group Show, Meridian Gallery, Melbourne Alice Bale Award Finalist, Melbourne
Saltwater River Festival Art Show, Melbourne
1991 Saltwater River Festival Art Show, Melbourne
1989 Group Exhibition, Green Frog Galleries, Prahran, Melbourne
1988 Fifty Fine Artists, Art Craft 88, Royal Melbourne Showgrounds
Bodyline, Print Guild Gallery, Melbourne
Ceramic Design, Group Exhibition, Chisholm Institute of Technology, Melbourne
1986 Works on Paper – Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne
1985 The Meridian Show, Sturt and Nolan Gallery, Melbourne
1981 Various Images – Paintings by Younger Artists, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne
Susie Parry and Darien Pullen – Paintings, Hawthorn City Art Gallery, Melbourne
1977 Solo Exhibition, La Perouse Gallery, Canberra