Art in Show Featuring IAG Artist, Andrew Douse of Coventry, UK

Fine, Really Fine Art from IAG Artist Andrew Douse!

Andrew Douse, IAG - Independent Artist Group Artist, is an artist who even has a child had a propensity to paint and create but he also has a scientific side. It's often said that a person like this can use both hemispheres of the brain equally. Interesting to note even though we as a group we all knew he is a very intelligent gent. "My dad's always been artistic, doing any kind of art and craft as a hobby you can imagine, but always painting", Andrew explains. So I've always had an artistic leaning, though it was science subjects I did at school rather than art, he muses.

Online Andrew is one most obvious leaders of IAG and a great volunteer for the group so he has a lot of contact with Artists, but he also managed to stay in touch with a few he's met along the road of life, "I am still in touch with the crowd I hung out with at Uni, all of whom are artists," no doubt those fellow classmates are glad to still be in this kindly Artist's life.

Douse's Exhibition Paintings Being Shown in Nottingham, UK

Andrew was born in grew up in Rugby, England. He studied science at school, then when it was time to enter the University in Wolverhampton he says, "I loitered for a few years before doing an Art foundation course, leading to a degree in 'Visual Communication & Illustration' from UCE in Birmingham. Then I loitered again before getting into painting and selling on eBay in 2002." Little did Andrew know that taking that step would put him into the lime light as it eventually led to his art being shown in person too.

"I spent three years after finishing my degree trailing round card and book publishers trying to get illustration work before coming across ebay and discovering the joys of selling paintings...Which is slowly leading me into showing in online galleries, and physical galleries", Douse explains. Andrew's art is creating much buzz and discussion at the current Nottingham, View at the Top Gallery show, he's got several pieces in the event.

Andrew is very open about his creations and his technique, unusually so. It speaks of his good character that he's so willing to share and yet it takes pure talent to create even if one is given a recipe. We asked Andrew how he creates his beautiful fish and Koi aquatic creations, "I use acrylics to texture my backgrounds and airbrush medium and acrylics to add washes over the top. This technique favours watery subjects, so I do tend towards fish. I also like very flat colour, like you'd get with gouache, but using matte acrylics, unfortunately Liquitex have stopped making them though", Andrew explains.

Seeing such a unique style we wondered what artists had stimulated Andrew over the years and what appreciation factor they had to inspire him, "I like a lot of artists - particularly Edward Hopper, Jackson Pollock, Gustav Klimt, Picasso as well as most of the impressionists - post impressionists, but I don't consciously use these styles, they're just part of the background to how I see art", Andrew muses and seems to reflect momentarily during our conversation.

Andrew's family seem to be a large part of his fan base even if they don't always cheer as loudly as one might in a soccer match, "My Dads always been arty, so we dont comment on each others work really, Andrew admits. He explains further, "We have very different styles, so stay polite rather than critical! But my wife Rachel tends to see things I haven't in my paintings, so she can be good at naming pieces. My sisters both have some of my paintings in their houses so they must like some of them!" No doubt they brag about them as they show them on their walls to friends and visitors and carefully out of the ear shot of their brother. Some things just remain perhaps a consistent for siblings even as adults such as bragging out of ear shot.

Andrew is himself proud, the Father of a nine month old, "Our son Matthew, is reordering my time at the moment, as his Mum's going back to work, so I'll either have a bit more time to paint or a lot less!" he says as he laughs. One can imagine Matthew, soon a toddler, running with crayons in hand as a third generation Artist and Andrew beside him gathering the child back to his large drawing paper on the floor while he picks up his own paint brush again. To grow up with a painterly Dad would be a heaven place would it not? It might be that Andrew will hold off a bit on the finger painting though if he's going to race circles around the house chasing a giggling, squealing, fun loving toddler with paint on his hands and then on the curtains, then the sofa, then the... Well, one can get the picture complete with household cleaners.

When asked how art might be explained to a child who aspires to paint for a profession Andrew honestly admits but teases in his reply, "The term 'starving artist' exists for a reason." Obviously heart and soul are in Andrew's work as his face lights up when he tells of his favourite art to create just for himself when time allows, "I really like to do the straight watery pieces. Those are my favourites, just rippling cool water...but they really need something else to make them saleable, hence the fish!" Good to see an artist that knows his market but still admits to enjoying those moments of creations just for himself. So often those moments simply do not come about and one in the art world remains a fish out of water in more ways than one.

Happy with what he is working with at this moment, Andrew finds no great itch to stop and learn another medium, he's very comfortable with himself, "I'm confident that I could do anything with acrylics given a bit of time, so I'm happy sticking with them." Douse is loyal to his craft, enjoyment and his work.

We asked Andrew if he felt the world at large found an understanding toward the artistic frame of mind, he says, "I think that if you think you understand anyone, you're deluded", and laughed. His air of humour is contagious as one begins to reflect about the number of times one has thought they truly understood a person in life and only found later that they in fact did not. Taking a few more notes I begin to realise that not only is Andrew a great humorist, he is probably more realistic than many a person I've known in a while. I make a mental note to dig a little deeper when I know him better. How can one argue with truth or knowledge of the human race that seems so realistic but at the same time appreciative. This comment from Andrew stimulates thought for quite some time after we talked.

Andrew with His Young Son Matthew

Andrew has been a member with IAG - Independent Artists Group near it's inception a year ago, we asked him once again if he had any favourite Artists amongst the cast of characters in the group and he confesses, "Thats a tricky one, a bit like 'what sort of music do you like?' and the answer is really that I'm eclectic in my tastes so individual pieces will appeal to me, but I dont really think of particular artists (or bands) as favourites, just individual pieces."

Individual being the key word to Andrew Douse, a unique person unto himself, a truly individual person. One that is caring about his fellow Artists, willing to volunteer in a team effort for the common good of all and judges only an individual piece, one at a time. He seems able to stay within the moment and not mistaking the sum total with a closed mind. In the road of life Andrew is choosing his paints, colours, brushes and canvases deliberately just one at time, just like he chooses his favourites of anything. That's our Andrew, relishing life just one moment at a time, a very grounded Artist, very down to earth chap. As we gather my notes and stand up, knowing I must leave, I begin to recognize I admire Andrew. The truth is all of IAG admires him, we're lucky to have him with us.

The IAG Group, showing is at the View from the Top Gallery in Nottingham, England (4th Floor above Waterstones Bookstore) through January 22nd. Exhibition hours are from 9 AM until 7 PM Monday to Saturday and 10:30 AM until 5 PM on Sunday.

Then Monday the 22nd, hours will from 9 AM to 12 AM. This special event was coordinated by IAG - Independent Artists Group leader, Charlotte Thomson of Nottingham. Concurrent IAG member art sales, including Douse's art will be available on Ebay for those who cannot make the Nottingham show. Just click here: IAG .

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Andrew Douse joins IAG - Independent Artist Group participants for the View from the Top Gallery, through January 22nd, 2007. Others showing in Nottingham, UK are; ArenA, James Baker, Susan Barton, Jennifer Blenkinsopp, Paul Bowring, Richard Clarke, Martin Devine, Mark Fenwick, Katy Fillingham, Deb Foster, Louise French, Ken Gillam, Kirsty Grayem, Chris Green, Joe Hendry, Jane Horton, Denise Laurent, Sabe Lewellyn, Ginger Lovellette, Natalie Adele Mason, Denise May, Karin Mear, Vicky Mycock, Basia Roszak, Steph Salt, Lar Shackelford, Lucia Stewart, Sally Swingewood, Glen Tapper, Charlotte Thomson, Jan Vallance, Terry John Waites, Suzanne Gorjuss Woolcott, and John Wright.