Dari Caplan was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1957 and lives on a wine farm near Somerset West.
Dari's main inspirations have been Man Ray, her 'friend in spirit', with his diverse ideas of art and his non-acceptance of narrow parameters, the impressionists Pissaro, Monet, Van Gogh and Signac as well as the expressionists Max Pechstein and Karl Schmidt- Rottluff. The natural beauty of her country, especially the Western Cape, its winelands and its colourful character have also played a large part in inspiring her paintings.
Dari's style has progressed through impressionist and post-impressionist inspired landscapes, her vibrant, impastoed colours and stylised images liberating her paintings from conformist realism. Dari often uses patches of empty ground in her compositions as a starting point for a free and subjective exploration of colour and form. Largely self-taught, Dari has taken art instruction under Jacob Pichhadze, Lukas Van Vuuren and Eric Laubscher. Her favourite themes are grape harvesting, landscapes, nudes and characters.
Her art works are to be found in private and corporate collections both locally and internationally (United States, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Israel, Canada and Poland). Her commissions include works for various Members of Parliament in Africa. Dari's painting of the Signal Hill shrine is housed in the Bo Kaap Museum, Cape Town.
Dari exhibits regularly. A group exhibition in the USA during May 2002 resulted in Dari being invited to exhibit again in 2003. Dari exhibited in Toronto, Canada during October/November 2004. She will be representing South Africa at the International Biennial for Contemporary Art in Florence, in December 2005.
Dari was chosen, above many other artists, to have a television documentary done on her work. This was aired on the national television programme "S.A. Today". She has been interviewed on radio and various prestigious magazines have showcased her work.