Marilyn Ann Darling (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Marilyn Skinner; born 7 November 1943) is an Australian philanthropist and patron of the arts. With her husband, Leonard Gordon Darling (known as Gordon Darling; 1921—2015), she instigated and has provided ongoing funding to the

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: *National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra *National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London, with s ...

in Canberra, ACT and other not-for-profit and charitable organisations.

Early life and education

Darling was born Marilyn Skinner in Brisbane, Queensland on 7 November 1943.

Career

Following graduation, Darling worked as a

microbiologist A microbiologist (from Ancient Greek, Greek ) is a scientist who studies microscopic life forms and processes. This includes study of the growth, interactions and characteristics of Microorganism, microscopic organisms such as bacteria, algae, f ...

at the University of Melbourne from 1965 to 1968, and then as a postgraduate researcher at Monash University from 1973–1978. In 1979 she became president of the Victorian Children's Aid Society (VCAS) Auxiliary, then board member from 1984–1987. From 1984 to 1989 Darling was a trustee of the Victorian State Opera Foundation and from 1986–1891 a member of the executive committee of the Dame Joan Hammond Award. She also spent three years on the organising committee for the Spoleto Festival in 1988–1991. From 1985 to 1987 she was a member of the board of management of the Melbourne Lost Dogs Home. From 1987 to 1991 she was a member of the Music Foundation Appeal committee at the University of Melbourne's Trinity College. In 1989 Darling became a member of the board of the Gordon Darling Australasian Print Fund at the National Gallery of Australia. Darling was convenor patron of an exhibition, "Uncommon Australians: Towards an Australian Portrait Gallery", which travelled Australia from 1992 to 1993.

Honours and recognition

Darling was awarded the

Centenary Medal The Centenary Medal is an award which was created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the centenary of the Federation of Australia and to recognise "people who made a contribution to Australian society or go ...

on 1 January 2001 "for service to Australian society through the arts". In the

2009 Australia Day Honours The 2009 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2009 by the Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce. The Australia D ...

, Darling was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for "service to the development, advancement and growth of visual arts in Australia and internationally, particularly through the

, and to the community through a range of philanthropic endeavours".

Personal life

In October 1989 she married Leonard Gordon Darling (4 March 1921 — 31 August 2015), known as Gordon. There are two sons and two daughters of the marriage.

Harold Gordon Darling John Darling and Son was an Australian wheat merchant and flour milling company founded in Adelaide, South Australia, for many years the largest in Australia. It was founded by John Darling Sr. (1831–1905), a businessman of Scottish origin, ...

was Gordon's uncle, and one of his ancestors was test cricketer Joe Darling.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Darling, Marilyn Australian women philanthropists Australian philanthropists Philanthropists from Melbourne Companions of the Order of Australia Australian art patrons Australian microbiologists 1943 births Living people