Darling grew up in the suburbs of Dallas and received his BFA in graphic design from an art school in Denver. Day to day Jim works as a creative director / designer and is a husband and father of two.

Darling's gallery work ranges from intricate ink drawings, layered woodwork with illustrative painted skins, to freestanding sculpture. Outside, Jim expands his tool set by including found objects and materials. His subject matter lives between play and real.