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Meet Harry V. Douglas:
Local artist and ACP member |
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Tell us about yourself and your art!
I showed little interest in art until my senior year of high school, then realized what I had been missing. I’ve been catching up ever since. I studied art at Moravian University, taught tennis for about 10 years after college, then became an Art teacher, spending the last 29 of my 31 year career at Mendham High School. Our program was well-funded and valued since we continually showed new student work regularly. It was amazing and inspiring to see the flowering of talent among our students. We did very well in competitions and many of our students have gone on to careers in art. As a high school art teacher I learned many techniques and approaches, if for only to stay one step ahead of the students. I taught both AP and IB Studio Art as well as Art 1, Painting, and Ceramics. It was a very fulfilling career. I retired in 2018 and have been exploring my own creative endeavors ever since. I primarily work in acrylic, watercolor, and charcoal pencils, trying to recreate what I see in nature. I love portraiture, the figure, landscapes, and still-lifes. Trying to put down in two-dimensions what I see in three is an ongoing challenge.
How did you become an artist/first get into art?
My father was a talented artist. He was an illustrator, sign painter, and cartoonist. He worked for Max Fleischer on the original Popeye and Bette Boop animated cartoons before WW2 came along. He stayed in the army after the war and retired as a colonel, then resumed his art activities. I also had a few friends in high school who were gifted artists. They, along with my Dad, were inspiring and strong influences on me becoming interested in being creative. I also remember that my third grade teacher chose me and another girl to draw the eastern and western hemispheres on the blackboard, so perhaps she saw I had some innate ability.
What inspires your artwork?
I am inspired by ordinary, quotidian life. There is more poetry and beauty in what is right in front of us, rather than in fantasy. The human figure is the crowning achievement of nature, and the facial expression is the ultimate expression of emotion. Capturing these well, especially when affected by light, is always difficult and takes a lifetime of study and engagement. The simple dramas of everyday life are worth exploring, which is why I am drawn to genre images. I am also inspired by being a part of the art community. It’s almost a special club, and like any group, has its own history, nomenclature and purpose. I can talk to my artist friends in a way that is particular and unique to the discipline.
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What’s inspiring you these days?
Just being alive is such a gift. It’s a mathematical fluke. When you realize how lucky you are to be in the here and now, and how improbable it all is, it seems laughable to ever get bored, or not value the lives of everyone around you. I’m inspired by my family, how lucky I am to have them, and with all my friendships. Overcoming obstacles in one’s process is also inspirational. I just need to get in my workspace and start. There are so many distractions. Half the battle is tuning them out. The other half is overcoming a lazy streak and a tendency to procrastinate.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
That’s almost like asking your favorite color or musical note. There are so many great ones, sometimes ones you’ve never heard of before. If I had to create a pantheon of my top five, I’d have to include Rembrandt, Vermeer, Sargent, Hopper, and Degas. The pantheon is always subject to change. I also love Corot, Schiele, Picasso, Giacometti, and Fairfield Porter. The list is quite long.
Where can people find out more about you?
My website or shoot me an email!
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