Linda Darty
Linda Darty learned enameling and metalwork in the mountains of North Carolina, where for 7 years, she lived and worked as assistant to the director of Penland School of Crafts. As professor and coordinator of the metal design program at East Carolina University, she has recently begun a new life in the medieval town of Certaldo, Italy, where she founded and directs ECU’s ITALY INTENSIVES year round study abroad program. Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves in the heart of Tuscany, the beautiful studios are located in a medieval palace near Florence, where Linda began her own art studies in 1973. Professor Darty has an extensive national and international exhibition record with work in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Arts and Design in NYC and The Arkansas Art Museum. She is the recipient of the North Carolina Board of Governor’s Teaching Award as well as The Lifetime Achievement Award for Research from East Carolina University, and The Lifetime Achievement Award from The Enamelist Society, an international organization. In 2003, as a more organized way of providing notes to her students, Linda wrote The Art of Enameling, published by Lark books, currently used as a text in many universities. Linda has taught workshops or given visiting artist lectures in England, Ireland, India, Canada, Costa Rica, Scotland, Germany, Korea, Japan, Australia, Italy and throughout the U.S.A.