Daril Atkins

I am an Anglo Indian, born in India. Currently residing in Australia.Graduated with a diploma after a rigorous four-year training in clay modeling, plaster molding, and casting, bronze casting, and marble carving as the main subjects. Of course, sketching and drawing from nude models, or outdoors was a consistent daily activity. After I graduated in 1969, I was employed as a medical sculptor in a major hospital as part of an American project to create life-like facial parts for persons who had a loss or absence due to accidents, surgery, or birth defects. The project required me to develop the use of the new silicone polymers for this purpose. Among the other tasks that I performed was life casting and recognizing decomposed dead bodies by recreating the face again.In 1974 I had my first exhibition of sculptural creative forms made with denting and painting techniques. It was a great success. The same year I left my job at the hospital to work in a doll factory and then began creating life-like hands and feet using PVC. The following year I set up a facial prostheses lab at a major cancer hospital and left four years later to continue my work with hands and feet.In 1985, I joined Dubai Healthcare to set up a facility to create artificial eyes, facial prostheses, and parts for the hands and feet. I was a member of the American Association of Medical Sculptors and later a member of the International Association of Anaplastologists. In the year 2007, I was designated as a Certified Clinical Anaplastologist by the American board.In the year 2011, I did a pro bono task of recreating the face of an acid burns survivor. This event was filmed as a short film and entered the Oscars which it won in 2012. The film was called 'Saving Face'.I came to Australia about a year ago to live with my daughter. Since I did not have any resources, I began using waste cardboard and a glue gun to create upcycled cardboard sculptures of dogs and horses. In 2024 I was an artist in residence at the Kingston Arts Center in Moorabbin where I created a 2D painting from which horses emerge into 3D.I would love to share my talent, skills, and experience with others who are interested.