Doug Dawson
Doug Dawson is recognized for his urban twilight and landscape scenes. His paintings reflect European urban street life to ski villages in Colorado. Doug Dawson has authored several "how-to" books during his long, successful career including pastel, plein aire, and oil. Doug's painting skills stretch beyond light and color teaching his many students to explore shape, line and value.
Artist Statement
In the beginning my art was about the objects, or subjects I painted. I sought subject matter that evoked emotional responses in me. I hoped these same subjects would evoke a similar response in the viewer. I gravitated toward dramatic lighting and weather conditions, and human expression.
Overtime my art has become less about the subjects and more about the underlying abstraction of color, shape, edges, etc. I now think of my paintings as visual songs The objects are the lyrics and the underlying abstractions are the melody.
As unreachable as it may be, my goal is to paint paintings that create a lingering memory for the viewer. In the same way, some songs get into your head and you find yourself singing the song days later.
Doug Dawson
BIOGRAPHY
Doug Dawson has received awards from: The Pastel Society of America, American Watercolor Society, Knickerbocker Artists, The National Academy of Western Art, Southeastern Pastel Society, Pastel Society of West Coast, Pastel Society of New Mexico, Audubon Artists, Kansas Pastel Society, Pastel Society of the Southwest, and the International Association of Pastel Societies. To honor his achievements, he was given the title of Master Pastelistby the Pastel Society of America (NY, NY) in 1985 and awarded the title of Master Circle by the International Association of Pastel Societies in 2005 (California). He was one of the Founders of the Art Students League of Denver.
AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS
American Watercolor Society (Juried) l973,’74,’77-Goldsmith Award/Membership Awarded ‘77 - New York, N.Y.
Pastel Society of America Exhibition (Juried) 1975 - 1991, 1993 -2013, New York, N.Y.
*Membership Awarded -1975 *Bainbridge Award-1976 *Kalikow Award-1999 *Minuto Award-1990
*Salmagundi Award-2000 *Best of Show-1978 *Hermitage Museum Exh-1984 *Blick Award-1987
*Board of Directors Award-1999 *Grumbacher Gold Medal-1986 *Guffini Marcellino Award-2002
*Pearl Award-1998 *Armstrong Award-1982 Scott Award-1988 *Weiss Epstein Award-2003
*Pastel Sty No. Fla. Award-2013 *Kertzer/Pastel Sty/Canada Award-2004 *Girault Award-2009
***Awarded Master Pastelist -1985 ***Awarded PSA Hall of Fame 2008 Honoree
Pastel Society of West Coast Exhibition (Juried)-1998, California
Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibit (Juried)-1974 - Golden, Co.
Allied Artists Exhibit (Juried)-1982, 1991 - New York, NY.
National Academy of Western Art (Juried)-1980 *Awarded Silver Medal - Okla.City, Ok.
Pastel Society SW Exhibit (Juried)- 1982 *Membershp ‘81 -Roe Award’82 -McStay Award’95 - Dallas, Tx.
Kansas Pastel Society Exhibit (Juried)-1984 *Eberhard-Faber Award - Wichita, Ks.
Pastel Society Colorado - Membership - Denver, Co.
Taiwan Pastel Exhibition 2007 & 2010 - Taipei, Taiwan
World Relief-sent Dawson to Mali, West Africa-2/85 - Wheaton, Il.
Societe Des Pastellistes de France ---International Exhibition-1987 - Paris, France
Summer Institute Linguistics - sent Dawson to Suriname, So. America 3/89 - Huntg.Bch, Ca.
Who’s Who American Art, Who’s Who in West, Who’s Who in America - New York, NY.
Museum Don Quixote-Workshop for National Artists 7/90 - Gto., Mexico
Art Students League of Denver *Founding Board Member-1986 (Instructor 1987-to date) - Denver, Co.
Pastel Society Oregon -*Membership Awarded-2002 - Roseburg, Or.
Pastel Society New Mexico Exhibition (Juried) *Award 2011 *Award 2012 - Albuq, NewMx.
Audubon Artists Exhibit (Juried)-2000 *Silver Medal Excellence-2002 - New York, NY.
Pastel Society Northern Florida -*Membership Awarded 2000-Ft. Walton, Fl..
Art in Embassies - U.S. State Dept.---Dawson work chosen Madagascar Ambassador’s Home 2005-07-Washington,DC.
International Assoc. Pastel Societies Exhibit (Juried)-*Best of Show-1997, 2001-California
Int’l Association Pastel Societies -Master Circle Title Awarded 2006-California
Int’l Biennial Pastel Ptg in Spain -Pintores Pastelistas Espanoles Nov. 2013 -Oviedo, Spain
Butler Institute of American Art Museum Exhibition - Dec. 2009 thro Mar. 2010-Youngstown, Oh
PUBLICATIONS and ARTICLES
Art of Pastel Portraiture "How to See, How to Paint It" Portrait Inspirations
CD Cover***Colcannon “Athens Hotel” Basic Portrait Techniques Pastel School Book
Colorado Quarterly-10/77***Cover "Complete Drawing Course" Figure Drawing Wksp
North Light Magazine-7/91 "How to Paint and Draw" Artist Sketchbk Mag
Midwest Art Magazine-11/85 "Creative Painting Pastels" Artist’s Bible-’04-05
Ethnologue-Lang. Of World-1988*Cover "Painting Shapes & Edges" Art West Mag-1982
Santa Fe Magazine-7/84, 7/92 "Basic Landscape Painting" Painting Weather
Body Guard (Book) by Rex Burns *Cover "The Pastel Book" (Taiwan) Light (Book)
Southwest Profile Magazine-8/85 "Life Drawing Class" Pastel Artists’ Bible 6/06
Focus Santa Fe Mag.-8/89,2/92,7/98
Southwest Art Mag.Winter’81,7/86, 9/93
Workshop Mag.’08,’12
Endangered Species by Rex Burns *Cover "Master Strokes - Quarto Books/England"
Landscape Artist Drawg
Getting Started in Art Mag.-Spring-2001 "Science Vie Jr. Mag-France" Mixing Color
Artists’ Rockies Mag.-Winter 1979
New Mexican Mag. 6/01 "Best of Pastels"
Art Gallery Int’l Mag-1/86 DVD Dawson Plein-Air 2005
Artists & Illustrators Mag.-5/92 (England "Tonal Values" Comp. Paint Handbk ‘12
Pastel Journal Mag.-1999, 3/00, 2/05, 4/06, 8/08,2/09,6/10, 1/12
Academic Publication-Survey of Aesthetics
Today’s Art & Graphics Mag.-1/82
Ency. Drawing Techniques "How to Paint Skin Tones"
The New Mexican 6/01
Amer. Psych Journal (cover) ’12 &’13
Masterpiece Magazine 2005 "Pure Color:Best of Pastel 2006"
Pastel Artists Int’l Mag.-Feb,Mar,Apr. 2000
Art of Pastel Portraiture
Artist’s Mag.-11/92, 5/86 *Cover,
American Artist Mag.-1976*Cover,7/98, 2/10
9/87, 6/02, 2/03, 7/03, 8/03, 2/04, 2/05,11/05,
Amer.Artist Wkp Prof Mag-2012
BOOKS by Dawson:
Capturing Light & Color with Pastel
Dare to Dream (Bk-U.C.Tarbet) 2013
Artist Statement
In the beginning my art was about the objects, or subjects I painted. I sought subject matter that evoked emotional responses in me. I hoped these same subjects would evoke a similar response in the viewer. I gravitated toward dramatic lighting and weather conditions, and human expression.
Overtime my art has become less about the subjects and more about the underlying abstraction of color, shape, edges, etc. I now think of my paintings as visual songs The objects are the lyrics and the underlying abstractions are the melody.
As unreachable as it may be, my goal is to paint paintings that create a lingering memory for the viewer. In the same way, some songs get into your head and you find yourself singing the song days later.
Doug Dawson
BIOGRAPHY
Doug Dawson has received awards from: The Pastel Society of America, American Watercolor Society, Knickerbocker Artists, The National Academy of Western Art, Southeastern Pastel Society, Pastel Society of West Coast, Pastel Society of New Mexico, Audubon Artists, Kansas Pastel Society, Pastel Society of the Southwest, and the International Association of Pastel Societies. To honor his achievements, he was given the title of Master Pastelistby the Pastel Society of America (NY, NY) in 1985 and awarded the title of Master Circle by the International Association of Pastel Societies in 2005 (California). He was one of the Founders of the Art Students League of Denver.
AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS
American Watercolor Society (Juried) l973,’74,’77-Goldsmith Award/Membership Awarded ‘77 - New York, N.Y.
Pastel Society of America Exhibition (Juried) 1975 - 1991, 1993 -2013, New York, N.Y.
*Membership Awarded -1975 *Bainbridge Award-1976 *Kalikow Award-1999 *Minuto Award-1990
*Salmagundi Award-2000 *Best of Show-1978 *Hermitage Museum Exh-1984 *Blick Award-1987
*Board of Directors Award-1999 *Grumbacher Gold Medal-1986 *Guffini Marcellino Award-2002
*Pearl Award-1998 *Armstrong Award-1982 Scott Award-1988 *Weiss Epstein Award-2003
*Pastel Sty No. Fla. Award-2013 *Kertzer/Pastel Sty/Canada Award-2004 *Girault Award-2009
***Awarded Master Pastelist -1985 ***Awarded PSA Hall of Fame 2008 Honoree
Pastel Society of West Coast Exhibition (Juried)-1998, California
Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Exhibit (Juried)-1974 - Golden, Co.
Allied Artists Exhibit (Juried)-1982, 1991 - New York, NY.
National Academy of Western Art (Juried)-1980 *Awarded Silver Medal - Okla.City, Ok.
Pastel Society SW Exhibit (Juried)- 1982 *Membershp ‘81 -Roe Award’82 -McStay Award’95 - Dallas, Tx.
Kansas Pastel Society Exhibit (Juried)-1984 *Eberhard-Faber Award - Wichita, Ks.
Pastel Society Colorado - Membership - Denver, Co.
Taiwan Pastel Exhibition 2007 & 2010 - Taipei, Taiwan
World Relief-sent Dawson to Mali, West Africa-2/85 - Wheaton, Il.
Societe Des Pastellistes de France ---International Exhibition-1987 - Paris, France
Summer Institute Linguistics - sent Dawson to Suriname, So. America 3/89 - Huntg.Bch, Ca.
Who’s Who American Art, Who’s Who in West, Who’s Who in America - New York, NY.
Museum Don Quixote-Workshop for National Artists 7/90 - Gto., Mexico
Art Students League of Denver *Founding Board Member-1986 (Instructor 1987-to date) - Denver, Co.
Pastel Society Oregon -*Membership Awarded-2002 - Roseburg, Or.
Pastel Society New Mexico Exhibition (Juried) *Award 2011 *Award 2012 - Albuq, NewMx.
Audubon Artists Exhibit (Juried)-2000 *Silver Medal Excellence-2002 - New York, NY.
Pastel Society Northern Florida -*Membership Awarded 2000-Ft. Walton, Fl..
Art in Embassies - U.S. State Dept.---Dawson work chosen Madagascar Ambassador’s Home 2005-07-Washington,DC.
International Assoc. Pastel Societies Exhibit (Juried)-*Best of Show-1997, 2001-California
Int’l Association Pastel Societies -Master Circle Title Awarded 2006-California
Int’l Biennial Pastel Ptg in Spain -Pintores Pastelistas Espanoles Nov. 2013 -Oviedo, Spain
Butler Institute of American Art Museum Exhibition - Dec. 2009 thro Mar. 2010-Youngstown, Oh
PUBLICATIONS and ARTICLES
Art of Pastel Portraiture "How to See, How to Paint It" Portrait Inspirations
CD Cover***Colcannon “Athens Hotel” Basic Portrait Techniques Pastel School Book
Colorado Quarterly-10/77***Cover "Complete Drawing Course" Figure Drawing Wksp
North Light Magazine-7/91 "How to Paint and Draw" Artist Sketchbk Mag
Midwest Art Magazine-11/85 "Creative Painting Pastels" Artist’s Bible-’04-05
Ethnologue-Lang. Of World-1988*Cover "Painting Shapes & Edges" Art West Mag-1982
Santa Fe Magazine-7/84, 7/92 "Basic Landscape Painting" Painting Weather
Body Guard (Book) by Rex Burns *Cover "The Pastel Book" (Taiwan) Light (Book)
Southwest Profile Magazine-8/85 "Life Drawing Class" Pastel Artists’ Bible 6/06
Focus Santa Fe Mag.-8/89,2/92,7/98
Southwest Art Mag.Winter’81,7/86, 9/93
Workshop Mag.’08,’12
Endangered Species by Rex Burns *Cover "Master Strokes - Quarto Books/England"
Landscape Artist Drawg
Getting Started in Art Mag.-Spring-2001 "Science Vie Jr. Mag-France" Mixing Color
Artists’ Rockies Mag.-Winter 1979
New Mexican Mag. 6/01 "Best of Pastels"
Art Gallery Int’l Mag-1/86 DVD Dawson Plein-Air 2005
Artists & Illustrators Mag.-5/92 (England "Tonal Values" Comp. Paint Handbk ‘12
Pastel Journal Mag.-1999, 3/00, 2/05, 4/06, 8/08,2/09,6/10, 1/12
Academic Publication-Survey of Aesthetics
Today’s Art & Graphics Mag.-1/82
Ency. Drawing Techniques "How to Paint Skin Tones"
The New Mexican 6/01
Amer. Psych Journal (cover) ’12 &’13
Masterpiece Magazine 2005 "Pure Color:Best of Pastel 2006"
Pastel Artists Int’l Mag.-Feb,Mar,Apr. 2000
Art of Pastel Portraiture
Artist’s Mag.-11/92, 5/86 *Cover,
American Artist Mag.-1976*Cover,7/98, 2/10
9/87, 6/02, 2/03, 7/03, 8/03, 2/04, 2/05,11/05,
Amer.Artist Wkp Prof Mag-2012
BOOKS by Dawson:
Capturing Light & Color with Pastel
Dare to Dream (Bk-U.C.Tarbet) 2013
