Artist Spotlight:
Terry Doughty
Terry, a self-taught artist who
entered the wildlife art field 16 years ago after a hiatus from art for
18 years, finds his work an endless inspiration.
Every
once in a while, you put out a really spectacular piece where
everything comes together. But an artist is the same as a musician; he
never stops learning! Always learning some little brush stroke or use of
light that will make your next painting easier to do. It's a learning
process that keeps going; never ending.
Terry
lives his art. An avid fisherman and hunter, he does not separate the
outdoor experience from his work. Instead, he continues the experience
on canvas.
"If
I'm out fishing and catch a bluegill, I'll sit and hold the bluegill in
my hand looking at the colors in it. If I see ducks coming in, I'll
remember what color the water is, how the light hits the side of the
hill. When I'm out hunting, I always have my camera with me. I'll see
the trees when the sun is going down and the glow is coming off the
trees and take a picture of it. When the photos come back, it's not just
a group of trees, but I'm looking at something different-I'm looking at
the light."
Color
and light are central to Doughty's award-winning paintings, but equally
evident are the sense of proportion and naturalness with which he
approaches his subject. He applies his concern for authenticity to his
animal subjects as well. Experience as a taxidermist taught him
attention to musculature and skeletal detail. He turns to references
like full-mount deer manikins, the Milwaukee Public Museum, the
Milwaukee County Zoo, a collection of zoological books and an
accumulation of photos and sketches to ensure the accuracy of his
subject's stance and movement.
As
an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman, Terry has maintained a
lifelong commitment to wildlife and preservation of their habitat.
