Biography

Darren Holt was born and raised in Alberta, Canada. During his childhood he lived in a small town in northern Alberta and later a small farm near Calgary, Alberta. Darren along with his siblings participated in 4-H and raised beef cattle for show and sale. He also spent many summers on his grandparents’ farm near Parkland, Alberta, where he enjoyed helping with the cattle and many chores. He looked forward to the cattle drive that his family participated in every fall. The family would gather the cattle from up in the Chain Lakes area then on horse back drive them the 2 or 3 days down to the Parkland farm.

Darren has always been artistic, and prior to finding a love of metal he enjoyed oil painting, taking after his grandmother Edith. One of Darren’s most memorable meetings was when he met Alberta artist, Georgina Jarvis, at an exhibition at the Calgary Stampede where she offered to tutor him in the art of oil painting. Though he never took her up on her offer he has always found inspiration in her work.

Darren had the opportunity to volunteer for 2 years for his church, later he attended a college in the states where he obtained his associates degree in the arts. Incidentally this is where he met and married his wife Dorene.

Darren and Dorene have been together now for over 15 years, early in their marriage they had the opportunity of living and working in Utah. Darren then decided to return to school and receive training in the welding trade. He then worked in Utah as an A.W.S. certified welder, while in Utah he had the opportunity to work with a company that specialized in ornamental wrought iron railing and blacksmithing. He also had the opportunity to work with Serge, an old world blacksmith who was born and raised in Russia who had come to the states on a work visa. From Serge, Darren learned the artistic flare possible with metal work.

Soon after Darren, Dorene and their new daughter moved back to Alberta, Darren started the process of obtaining his Alberta journeyman and red seal certification, along with his “B”-pressure ticket. Darren has worked in the oil and gas industry here in Alberta, while also working in his shop with his true passion metal art. Darren has experimented with different mediums: metal, glass, wood and combining heat with acids to create different colors in his work to bring out a sense of realism. Memories that can last a life time.

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