DARYNE ROCKETT

Thank you for visiting Doodle Rex and checking here to learn some more about me.  The name Doodle Rex is a pseudonym for Daryne Rockett. I am a self-taught, mixed media artist working and residing in Orono, Maine.  I began my foray into visual arts after sustaining a brain injury while playing roller derby In 2014.  The symmetry and repetition of patterns were a balm to my foggy brain. As my healing progressed, I found enjoyment in larger formats and other mediums. What began as an internal therapeutic process of doodling on small squares of paper evolved into an outward expression of deep feelings and complex beliefs.  The name is part of my artist’s origin story of doodling as a prescription (or Rx) for healing and recovery.  It’s also a lot easier to remember and spell correctly on the first try.

Over the years of my artistic evolution, my work has grown to include so much more than doodling. But the idea of creating as a work of the heart and body rather than the brain is still a central aspect of what I do. I have brought the process of art-making into community settings with veterans, healthcare providers, and social justice advocates to create collaborative works both large and small.  My solo and communal works have been exhibited from the Statehouse building in Augusta, Maine to the Cedar Ridge Creative Centre in Toronto, Ontario.

These paintings and collages are a means of healing my body, my relationships, and my heart. Each work is a an expression of gratitude for the generosity of our community with compassion and heartfelt joy for their contributions to our interwoven lives. My hope is that this work will also bring you happiness and that you will share it with others and smile.