In October of 2023 Darlene won the “Best In Show” Award for her entry “Siblings” in the “Nature” competition held by Gallery Ring. She writes: “I try to become a part of each image as it develops and comes to life on the page. It’s like reading a really good book; you just don’t want it to be finished. I deliberately pick images with as much intricate detail as possible. This allows me to go further into the image and lets me stay there longer. My objective with every piece is to make it as realistic as possible, using the meticulous details to bring the message alive.”