Darka is a puppeteer, sceneographer, illustrator, and the artistic director of Soup Theatre. Originally from Slovenia, she came to Newfoundland in 2003. Since then she has produced and performed puppet adaptations of Hans Christian Andersen’s Big Klaus Little Klaus; An Old House (based on a Slovenian Fairytale); and The Crane Wife (a Japanese story).

She has served as puppet sceneographer and set designer with several Newfoundland companies including the Gros Morne Theatre Festival (Magic Jack and the Jelly Beanstalk), Wonderbolt Circus (All Fool’s Day and Tricksters), and the Resource Centre for the Arts (Borrowed Black). She has also worked with Andy Jones on King o Fun and The Queen of Paradise’s Garden.

As an illustrator Darka has created several stamps for her own country’s postal system. Her book credits include illustrations for Andy Jones’ The Queen of Paradise’s Garden, Beni Malone and Marian Francis White’s The Sights Before Christmas, and Ivo Stropnik’s Velenjice (Velenje Slovenia).

She was also named the NL Press 2009 Artist of the Year  for her work on Queen of Paradise Garden and a giant Newfoundland dog puppet that went to the the Olympics with Wonderbolt Circus.