Bio

G. Darkins is a Miami-based self-taught expressionist painter whose work reflects personal history and Black culture through figurative and portrait imagery. In 2010, during her freshman year at Florida A&M University, Darkins was involved in a life-altering car accident that resulted in complete quadriplegia, causing a loss of mobility in all four limbs. During rehabilitation at Atlanta’s Shepherd Center, occupational therapists introduced adaptive exercises such as painting, using touch-based devices including computers and phones, and playing board games to help strengthen her upper body and neck. These exercises ultimately became central to her artistic practice.

Darkins returned to painting with focused dedication while attending Florida International University, earning a B.A. in Psychology in 2018, and has continued developing the artistic practice ever since. Her work captures fleeting moments, personal stories, and cultural figures that reflect experiences from both past and present.

Through her art, Darkins creates spaces for connection, dialogue, and reflection. Her work evokes emotions such as nostalgia, joy, and contemplation. As an artist with a disability, Darkins brings a perspective that invites audiences to engage with her story, fostering curiosity and understanding while emphasizing representation and offering moments of recognition and resonance.