4 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
‘SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN A
DANCE AND A
BOXING MATCH’
Astoria artist Darren Orange talks
about his drive, creative process and
fi rst solo show at Imogen Gallery
By KAELIA NEAL
FOR COAST WEEKEND
D
arren Orange is not a traditional artist. With a
focus on non-representational abstract, he uses
materials like his hands and pallet knives rather
than paint brushes and scrapers.
“I don’t wait for inspiration. I work through the pro-
cess to fi nd inspiration,” he said. “The best works come
when I take a big risk.”
Orange’s fi rst solo show at Astoria’s Imogen Gallery,
“Under the Surface,” runs through Monday, July 3.
His work has been exhibited in Graeter Gallery, Peo-
ples Gallery and Launch Pad Gallery in Portland, Oregon,
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition in Brooklyn, New
York, Shidoni Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and
elsewhere.
His studio is off Tongue Point Road next to storage
units, boat builders and fabrication businesses.
“I like that blue-collar work atmosphere,” he said. “I
think that’s the way I value my work.”
Orange works on a minimum of a dozen paintings at
one time. “It’s like playing 20 games of chess at the same
time,” he said.
When painting on a fresh canvas, Orange is never sure
how the fi nished product will look. After making prog-
ress, he might end up turning the painting on its side.
Continued on Page 7
PHOTOS BY COLIN MURPHEY/THE DAILY ASTORIAN
TOP RIGHT: Orange uses a variety of non-traditional means
to apply paint to the canvas. RIGHT: Astoria artist Darren Or-
ange ponders over a work in progress in his studio.
SUBM ITTED PHOTOS
ABOVE: “Beard,” by Darren Orange
LEFT: “Reach,” by Darren Orange