Outstanding British artist Darren Baker has received numerous art awards including best artist at The Fine Art Trade Guild ceremony in London and The Garrick Prize, Christies, London. His contemporary paintings are increasingly sought after by International and British Art collectors and hang in both public and private art collections including those of the House of Lords, Downing Street and St James''s Palace. He is now one of the leading painters of the classical realism genre, and his style displays the influences of both the Dutch Masters and the contemporary Realist School.

Darren Baker was born in 1976. After graduating from art college he exhibited in London and at the age of 23 was invited to show his paintings at a UK millennium event in New York. In the same year he was appointed official artist of The Professional Footballer''s Association (PFA).

Darren has produced an impressive portfolio of portraits for sports clubs and personalities from the world of football as well as many other sports. He has worked alongside and produced paintings for such star names as Lewis Hamilton, David Ginola, Peter Schmeichel, Henrik Larsson, Prince Naseem, Nigel Mansell and Jonny Wilkinson, as well as PFA Footballer of the Year portraits of John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Teddy Sheringham. His non-sporting portraits include HRH Prince Charles and Tony Blair which hang in St James Palace and Downing Street respectively.