McCammon captures moments that live in the heart

“To me, art is a way of capturing a moment that lives on in our hearts forever,” stated Warsaw artist and writer Darla McCammon. “Whether I’m writing a book or painting a picture, I’m expressing things that are deep inside of me.

“I’ve always loved writing. When I was a sophomore in high school, I won a prize for my composition ‘A Tale of Two Cities.’ It was actually a newsy piece about two cities: One pristine and clean, the other careless and dirty. When I won the competition, I knew I had a talent for writing.”

After graduating from high school, McCammon thought she might like to be a teacher. She went to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, majoring in education. However, after she got married, she moved to California. Her husband Ed was an art major.

“I’d look at some of his artwork and think to myself, ‘I can do better than that,’” she said.

California is perfect for creating art. “The ocean and climate are wonderful,” Mc-

Cammon added. “Because of the beautiful surroundings, there are art shows on every corner. I’d walk down the aisle of the mall and admire the artists’ work. But I’d also see that some of the artwork that sold was really not very good.”

McCammon got involved with two art associations in California. “I got to meet many great artists who were generous in sharing their knowledge. One of the high points of my involvement was watching professional Violet Parkhurst, the artist who sold a painting to President Nixon when he was in office, complete a painting as a guest artist one evening.”

Although she enjoys drawing, McCammon has done a lot of painting through the years. She has worked in oils, acrylics and watercolors and has been featured in many area juried shows. Her latest painting, featuring two of her daughters on a California beach in their sunbonnets when they were young, is at Honeywell Center, Wabash.

“My first book was on the history of Winona Lake. I was working with a photographer,” she said. “I did the history of the area, and he took the pictures.”

She and her husband, John, love to go fishing in Canada. “When we fish, I have a lot of time to dream of fiction plots. That’s what inspired me to write the book ‘Diamond Bait.’

It’s an adventure novel that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. It features a girl trying to survive in the wilderness alone. The story is a Christian romance with a bit of historical fiction involving the Canadian Indians.”

The book is featured on Kindle and was published by Westbow Press, a Christian organization.

“Every writer has to be a harsh taskmaster on themselves,” McCammon said. “We need to recognize things that don’t fit in our story and take them out, even if we like that part. It’s always great to get the opinions of others, too.”

McCammon is no stranger to readers of ‘the PAPER,” a sister publication to Senior Life. She has been a columnist in the newspaper for ten years.

“My column is titled ‘Art in Action.’ It highlights artists and gives valuable tips on doing artwork,” she said.