Born in Bristol in 1972, Doug became aware
of his artistic talent at an early age. Throughout his school and college
education he focused on the technical side of drawing and painting and after
graduating he was in no doubt that he wanted to pursue a career as a
professional artist.
Doug prefers to produce his seemingly simplistic and distinctive artwork on a
large scale to achieve maximum impact with each piece. He also enjoys operating
in plenty of space, thus allowing him enough physical freedom to express the
creative energy that is the key to his fresh, contemporary style. His
unorthodox use of pastels applied with fingers and thumbs or even the side of a
hand or wrist allows him to create highly communicative and engaging images
that make an immediate and lasting impression on the viewer.
Recently named as the UK's official best
selling artist, Doug has been featured on television, both on the BBC national
news and on Channel 4 as well as on local television and local and national
radio describing his unique technique and talking about the people and events
that inspire his heart-warming images.
Inspired by his own emotional responses to
life, Doug's intention is to provoke a positive response in others; his success
in this aim can be seen not only by the huge impact his work has made on the
British and international art scene, but also by the money he has raised for
two important charities – “Look Good…Feel Better” and Families for Children” -
through the sale of his artwork. The extraordinary rise from virtual unknown to
the most popular living artist in the UK has been meteoric, and his stunning
original pastels have become genuine collectors' items.
A typical working day begins early for
Doug, his two children Charlie and Eliza wake him at 6am with enthusiastic
chatter! A family orientated man he makes the effort to try to sit down for a
family breakfast with his wife Suzie at around 7.30am everyday. By 9.30am he
shuts himself in his studio with an essential cup of coffee, his apron on and
his sleeves rolled up. Looking at the work from the night before helps him to
focus and he often contemplates any changes or alterations that need to be done
before finishing his coffee. Doug uses a wide range of colour, he has a choice
of over 100 pastels to choose from, and works with his hands, which he finds
gives him a greater freedom to express himself creatively and also offers his
pieces a unique texture and ‘feeling’. It is debatable whether this comes from
his techniques or from his obvious close connection to his family. His
daughters will visit him in the studio, along with his wife, every afternoon to
see what he has painted that day, this connection to them is palpable. “I find
inspiration for my painting can strike at any time, whether through my own emotional
response to something, such as my children or my wife, or through observing
somebody else's obvious love for another person or animal. Sometimes I will
hear a phrase spoken and immediately visualise a picture. I then work around
that phrase and use it as a title for the finished piece.”
Doug also found inspiration for his style
and technique from Mark Rothko on a trip to Tate Modern 5 years ago. He
describes the 25 ft original as was completely mesmerising. The scale and the
use of colour coupled with the simplicity of the piece spoke volumes to him,
Doug explains “I was looking at this original and thinking ‘What power!’ This
experience provided a defining moment in my artistic journey; convincing me
that less is more, it sent me down the path of simple, bold imagery painted on
a large scale, to create maximum impact.”
The creative process for Doug begins when
he has an idea for a new work. He scribbles down any thoughts at once, there is
a box in his studio overflowing with these messy scribblings on cards, paper
napkins, bits of newspaper, anything that has space for a quick sketch to keep
the idea in focus. When he comes to start work on something new, he refers to
this "ideas box", and then refines the image in his head until it is
ready to be transferred to the drawing board. He takes the initial idea and
sketches out the painting, adding ideas to it as he goes until it evolves into
a picture that he feels ‘works’. “In the past I preferred to use acrylics and
watercolours, but over the last few years I have fallen in love with pastels!
From the very first time I used pastels I knew that this was the medium that
would best be able to achieve the effects I wanted to create - I love the
contrast between the soft tones and the hard edges. It gives me much more
freedom than any other medium and enables me to use an entirely individual
technique. I am able to create the movement I like in a piece of art and the
rich boldness of colour. Because I was initially experimenting with the medium,
I have developed a very unorthodox style using my fingers and thumbs to create
the work, which I find gives me ultimate control.”
Doug confesses he is always working, that
he is never far from his artwork; it is always tucked away in the corner of his
mind. “I am constantly thinking about it, whether it's the piece I am working
on, thinking about the colours I will use or new ideas or new ways to produce
my work. Even when I am relaxing it's always there! It truly is a 24 hour job.
But I love it. It's my passion; it's my life.”
