About Me
My Background
My interest in art sprouted around the age of six. A group of us were taught drawing some evenings at a neighborhood school by a very talented volunteer instructor, giving a step-by–step lesson on drawing a race car - superb subject to keep the interest of a bunch of rambunctious children hyped from consuming sweets most of the day. The lessons piqued my interest, and I became somewhat obsessed with drawing and coloring. While in class, I discovered drawing racing cars much more interesting than the teacher’s lessons. By high school, art and architecture were my champion electives, and my grades in them soared above others. But the pinnacle was an art class field trip to the Salvidor Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL. I was mesmerized by what I saw after passing through the museum doors, like entering Wonderland. It was no less than witnessing virtual magic on canvas, some as large as 13’ X 10’, and larger. I learned that thoughts can be relayed to paper and canvas and thereafter embarked on a quest to learn everything Dali and Surrealism. After discharge from active military service, I enrolled in Commercial Arts at a local college, where I won numerous 1st Place awards during the Fine Arts course of the program. Shortly thereafter I began work as a free-lance illustrator, earning commissions from Playboy Magazine, Coca Cola, McDonald’s, TPC Golf, Navy Blue Angels, and others. I have also worked as a Forensic Art Consultant and Forensic Artist. Heavily influenced by Dali, I exhibited and sold numerous surreal style paintings to private collectors in juried exhibitions, shows, and galleries throughout the state and abroad - many can be viewed in the Gallery. Having gained notoriety, I was featured in various news publications and in a local news broadcast segment. For personal reasons, I took an extensive hiatus from art with the exception of a few portrait commissions. During the interim, I was privileged to train with Certified Living Master Artist and Professor, Zimou Tan, who, among many other lessons, taught fine techniques in charcoal application, which has been become one of my favored portrait mediums. Though gradual, I am excited to return to the art stage whereupon I have already completed illustrations for a children’s instructional book and produced several portraits. I have also transformed into more of an impressionist style artist opposed to my former surrealist style; however, I will probably produce more surreal style art in the future. I am also excited to launch the Jacob Douglas Athletic Arts Collection and the Revae Douglas Music Arts Collection, which will be discussed in further detail in those sections of the website soon, and as artwork for those collections become available.
My Inspiration
Salvidor Dali undoubtedly inspired me more than any particular source. However studies of Michaelangelo, Davinci, Rembrandt, Velazquez, Rubens, Vermeer, Carravaggio, and Raphael are due like accolades. Of them, Rembrandt is pinnacle pertaining to paint application, color manipulation, and brush stroke. In contrast to the smooth style of Dali, I've adapted Rembrandt's thick application towards highlights, and thinner strokes towards shade and shadows to achieve a specific mood and environment on the completed canvas. There are many present-day artists who’ve mastered similar applications, but I feel artists Casey Baugh, Suchitra Bhosle, and Ashwini Bharathula are commendable. In regards to drawing techniques, Michelangelo, Rubens and Davinci are most influential. Once more gratitude is owed to far too many more talents to list, but of current artists, Zimou Tan, Zhaoming Wu, Zin Lim, Lara Saunders are notable.
My Mediums
I am traditionally an oil painter. Within the last decade I have added watercolor and charcoal to my repertoire of mediums, which include acrylic, color pencil, ink and scratch-board.
Jacob Douglas Athletics Art Collection
Revae Douglas Ross Music Art Collection
