Darlene Jarkowski Jones was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in the suburb of Brooklyn Park. Even as a young child, her mother recognized her special talent for art. Darlene attended Archbishop Spalding High School, where she was guided and inspired by Virginia Fitzgibbons. "Fitz," an outstanding art teacher, prepared her for The Maryland Institute, College of Art. There she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with her major in Art Teacher Education.
    At age seventeen, Darlene exhibited in her first art show at Havre de Grace, Maryland. She never would have dreamed then, that two decades later, her painting entitled "A Spring Welcome," would be chosen and published as a poster to comemorate the Havre de Grace Art Festival.
    Darlene went back to her high school alma mater to work as an art teacher's aide. After graduating from college, she continued as an Art Teacher there for several years, with her friend and mentor, Fitz. Together they established the school's first ceramics course.
    Although talented in many forms of art, oil painting gives Darlene the most freedom of expression and enjoyment. Her favorite pastimes include long rides in the countryside, gardening, and vacationing at the beach with her family. This explains her passion for painting landscapes and seascapes. The beautiful places she visits are the scenes she paints for everyone else to enjoy too! Her realistic style, strong use of color and sensitivity of sunlight makes her serene paintings unique.
    Her most recent work has been inspired by the beautiful gardens of old Baltimore neighborhoods and scenes of rural Carroll County. Darlene has included her son, Gregory, in several of her paintings, but confesses that it's hard to let go of those cherished works of art. Her husband, Bill, has been tremendously supportive of her. Her gives her words of encouragement and always helps her at her shows.
    Darlene taught drawing and painting as an Adjunct Faculty member of Catonsville Community College. She's an active member of The Catonsville Artists Guild, where the group exhibits at the gallery on campus every August. Each spring, she shows her paintings at Carroll Community College, as a participant in the "Women In The Arts" show. Her work has also been exhibited at The Maryland Federation Of Art in Annapolis and the Slayton House in Columbia.