Darren Cranford

Darren Cranford is a highly accomplished artist hailing from the East Coast, who later relocated to Niagara. He holds a distinguished academic background, having earned a Bachelor's degree in Fine Art with a specialization in painting.

In the professional realm, Darren serves as the esteemed co-owner of Krow VFX, a premier visual effects and animation studio, which has been in operation for over 25 years. Under his adept leadership, Krow VFX has garnered recognition for its exceptional work with prominent movie studios such as Netflix, NBC Universal, and 20th Century Fox. Darren's expertise in Art Direction and storyboarding has solidified his reputation as a notable figure in the film industry.
Additionally, Darren Cranford is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada, and the Visual Effects Society, and is on the Advisory Boards of several notable colleges and Universities in Ontario. He also boasts the honour of being a Canadian Academy-nominated Director for Animation, a testament to his remarkable contributions to the field. Beyond his directorial achievements, he is widely regarded for his exceptional skills as an illustrator for children's books. Darren has continued his passion for painting by joining the NOTL Collective and continuing to create meaningful and impactful works of art.

The genesis of each piece involves embracing a seed of inspiration—a novel idea or an unexplored technique—that urges me to push the limits of my artistic understanding. Viewing my work with detachment, I resist the inclination to hold it as precious, allowing me the freedom to explore beyond my comfort zone.

Working with oils, I revel in the challenge of conveying emotions with minimal strokes, coaxing the canvas to capture elusive moments.
Charcoal, with its gritty elegance, offers a contrasting allure. Amidst its velvety blackness, I seek to unveil the softness of subjects and test the boundaries of this age-old medium. Each stroke becomes a conversation between artist and canvas, a reciprocal exchange that uncovers the mysteries within the chosen medium.

In this dialogue, I navigate the interplay of light, shadow, texture, and form, unravelling the inherent secrets of my craft. It is a perpetual exploration—a dance between tradition and innovation, where I am both creator and seeker, relentlessly pushing boundaries to extract something new from the ancient echoes of artistic tradition.”