Doremiarts
Doremiarts
Interview with the Artist
Interview with the Artist
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Interview with Doughlas Remy by Paul Untel, 6/24/18
Interview with Doughlas Remy by Paul Untel, 6/24/18
Paul: What is Doremiarts?
Paul: What is Doremiarts?
Doughlas: Doremiarts is the marketing arm of my design business. I chose the name when I began marketing my artwork shortly after the year 2000. The name "Doremiarts" was intended both as a play on my own name and a nod to my companion interest in music.
Doughlas: Doremiarts is the marketing arm of my design business. I chose the name when I began marketing my artwork shortly after the year 2000. The name "Doremiarts" was intended both as a play on my own name and a nod to my companion interest in music.
By the time I formed Doremiarts, I had already been doing digital design professionally since the introduction of the first Apple Macintosh in around 1985. I was working at a Middle Eastern university producing textbooks when I discovered the wonders of word processing, WYSIWYG, and drawing and painting applications. Later, I bundled my editing, page-layout, and graphics skills together to land contract jobs in the Seattle-Redmond-Bellevue areas.
By the time I formed Doremiarts, I had already been doing digital design professionally since the introduction of the first Apple Macintosh in around 1985. I was working at a Middle Eastern university producing textbooks when I discovered the wonders of word processing, WYSIWYG, and drawing and painting applications. Later, I bundled my editing, page-layout, and graphics skills together to land contract jobs in the Seattle-Redmond-Bellevue areas.
Paul: What changed in 2000?
Paul: What changed in 2000?
Doughlas: The art that I began producing and marketing when I started Doremiarts in 2000 was anything but digital. Instead, it was dimensional wall art composed of metal, glass, wood, stone, and plaster, all assembled on a masonite board and framed by a wooden lip to hold in one or more layers of resin. The art form itself is known as "assemblage." Many of the materials that I chose were surplus aviation hardware or “objets trouvés." The piece shown to the right, called "Emergence," is composed mainly of industrial surplus, much of it from the Boeing plants. For many years, I exhibited and sold these works in galleries throughout the Puget Sound area and down to Portland.
Doughlas: The art that I began producing and marketing when I started Doremiarts in 2000 was anything but digital. Instead, it was dimensional wall art composed of metal, glass, wood, stone, and plaster, all assembled on a masonite board and framed by a wooden lip to hold in one or more layers of resin. The art form itself is known as "assemblage." Many of the materials that I chose were surplus aviation hardware or “objets trouvés." The piece shown to the right, called "Emergence," is composed mainly of industrial surplus, much of it from the Boeing plants. For many years, I exhibited and sold these works in galleries throughout the Puget Sound area and down to Portland.
Paul: Do you still make assemblages?
Paul: Do you still make assemblages?
Doughlas: No. It was actually heavy work involving lots of tools and equipment, and I was developing a cardiac condition.
Doughlas: No. It was actually heavy work involving lots of tools and equipment, and I was developing a cardiac condition.
Paul: Were you artistic as a child?
Paul: Were you artistic as a child?
Doughlas: Absolutely. I was a doodler from the moment I learned to hold a pencil. By the time I was thirty, I was keen to develop and expand what I had already begun to recognize not only as a talent but also as a source of great expressive satisfaction, with all the self-therapeutic advantages that that entails. I worked with watercolors, pen-and-ink, and acrylics for years, unfortunately without taking much care to preserve or curate what I created. My "paying" jobs got most of my bandwidth.
Doughlas: Absolutely. I was a doodler from the moment I learned to hold a pencil. By the time I was thirty, I was keen to develop and expand what I had already begun to recognize not only as a talent but also as a source of great expressive satisfaction, with all the self-therapeutic advantages that that entails. I worked with watercolors, pen-and-ink, and acrylics for years, unfortunately without taking much care to preserve or curate what I created. My "paying" jobs got most of my bandwidth.
Paul: How would you characterize the assemblages?
Paul: How would you characterize the assemblages?
Doughlas: My assemblages were entirely abstract and could be enjoyed solely for their compositional balance, the play of their colors, and the fanciful arrangements of their components. And yet they were also sometimes strongly and subjectively evocative. They might alternately evoke surprise, delight, laughter, puzzlement, or reverence. (Never tears, I hope) Some of them seemed almost spiritual, or inspirational, though in a very ill-defined way. But they never instruct the viewer how to interpret or enjoy them. They themselves were simply “objets d’art,” the kinds of non-functional objects that we value solely for their aesthetic value and use to adorn our living spaces.
Doughlas: My assemblages were entirely abstract and could be enjoyed solely for their compositional balance, the play of their colors, and the fanciful arrangements of their components. And yet they were also sometimes strongly and subjectively evocative. They might alternately evoke surprise, delight, laughter, puzzlement, or reverence. (Never tears, I hope) Some of them seemed almost spiritual, or inspirational, though in a very ill-defined way. But they never instruct the viewer how to interpret or enjoy them. They themselves were simply “objets d’art,” the kinds of non-functional objects that we value solely for their aesthetic value and use to adorn our living spaces.
Though my current work is entirely digital, it is still mostly abstract, tending toward the geometrical, and can be appreciated for many of the same qualities that characterized my assemblages.
Though my current work is entirely digital, it is still mostly abstract, tending toward the geometrical, and can be appreciated for many of the same qualities that characterized my assemblages.
Paul: Where are you marketing your digital artwork?
Paul: Where are you marketing your digital artwork?
Doughlas: I do so in four on-line locations: ZAZZLE, Society6, WeaveUp, and Spoonflower. In the first two, the artwork is imprinted on stretched canvas, throw pillows, and other consumer products such as greeting cards, puzzles, and tote bags. WeaveUp prints the designs on fabric, which is then sold by the yard. Spoonflower does fabrics and wallpaper.
Doughlas: I do so in four on-line locations: ZAZZLE, Society6, WeaveUp, and Spoonflower. In the first two, the artwork is imprinted on stretched canvas, throw pillows, and other consumer products such as greeting cards, puzzles, and tote bags. WeaveUp prints the designs on fabric, which is then sold by the yard. Spoonflower does fabrics and wallpaper.
Presently, my collection contains hundreds of designs. At ZAZZLE, most of these are either in the “wall art” collection or the “pillow” collection. If you're browsing, I would recommend started with Society6, which has by far the largest number of my designs.
Presently, my collection contains hundreds of designs. At ZAZZLE, most of these are either in the “wall art” collection or the “pillow” collection. If you're browsing, I would recommend started with Society6, which has by far the largest number of my designs.
Paul: What are the sources of your inspiration?
Paul: What are the sources of your inspiration?
Doughlas: There have been many over the years. As a university student in the 1960s and 70s, I had an opportunity to study Italian Renaissance art in some depth under the guidance of a visiting scholar who excelled in that field. My own areas of specialization were French, German, and Italian, all of which dovetailed nicely with my interest in art, especially when I had opportunities to visit Europe during those years and later. Throughout the 1980s, I lived in Saudi Arabia, where, for religious reasons, virtually all art in the public sphere was abstract and geometric. The proximity of India gave me a window into yet another tradition in the visual arts and crafts.
Doughlas: There have been many over the years. As a university student in the 1960s and 70s, I had an opportunity to study Italian Renaissance art in some depth under the guidance of a visiting scholar who excelled in that field. My own areas of specialization were French, German, and Italian, all of which dovetailed nicely with my interest in art, especially when I had opportunities to visit Europe during those years and later. Throughout the 1980s, I lived in Saudi Arabia, where, for religious reasons, virtually all art in the public sphere was abstract and geometric. The proximity of India gave me a window into yet another tradition in the visual arts and crafts.
Paul: Some of your work seems almost psychedelic.
Paul: Some of your work seems almost psychedelic.
Doughlas: Uh-oh! Busted! Well, your perception is correct. Like many young men whose creative impulses are at odds with their need to survive, I had a few "lost years." In my case, these occurred not long after getting my B.A. degree from Louisiana State University. In Austin, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay area, I struggled to better understand myself and the forces that drove me. Psilocybin played an important role in my self-therapy, and to this day I am immensely grateful for what it showed me. In my art, I am always hoping to achieve a momentary state of transcendence similar to what I experienced then, to recapture those moments when I looked up through the trees and into the light and saw mandalas. (See the image below, "Thicket.")
Doughlas: Uh-oh! Busted! Well, your perception is correct. Like many young men whose creative impulses are at odds with their need to survive, I had a few "lost years." In my case, these occurred not long after getting my B.A. degree from Louisiana State University. In Austin, Texas, and the San Francisco Bay area, I struggled to better understand myself and the forces that drove me. Psilocybin played an important role in my self-therapy, and to this day I am immensely grateful for what it showed me. In my art, I am always hoping to achieve a momentary state of transcendence similar to what I experienced then, to recapture those moments when I looked up through the trees and into the light and saw mandalas. (See the image below, "Thicket.")
"Thicket," 2018
Paul: Can you describe your creative process?
Paul: Can you describe your creative process?
Doughlas: One particular word always springs to my lips (yes, audibly!) when I finally see appear on the computer screen the effects that I’ve been trying to achieve. That word is “luscious!” At that moment, I think I can almost taste ripe berries in my mouth and see and smell springtime blossoms all around me. It’s a very synesthetic experience. I feel supremely satisfied when I can team up with my computer and its applications to achieve colorative effects that are rich and sensuous, smooth and velvety. These effects can only be achieved through a careful composition of elements with a view to creating visual balance, richness, and dynamism. Those are my criteria for success, as my art has no other message than “Linger and look!” It's what you do when you come upon a rose bush in bloom.
Doughlas: One particular word always springs to my lips (yes, audibly!) when I finally see appear on the computer screen the effects that I’ve been trying to achieve. That word is “luscious!” At that moment, I think I can almost taste ripe berries in my mouth and see and smell springtime blossoms all around me. It’s a very synesthetic experience. I feel supremely satisfied when I can team up with my computer and its applications to achieve colorative effects that are rich and sensuous, smooth and velvety. These effects can only be achieved through a careful composition of elements with a view to creating visual balance, richness, and dynamism. Those are my criteria for success, as my art has no other message than “Linger and look!” It's what you do when you come upon a rose bush in bloom.
Paul: Would you call your art “decorative,” then?
Paul: Would you call your art “decorative,” then?
Doughlas: It is that, in addition to many other things. A floor tile can be decorative, but it offers few surprises and seldom evokes or inspires. My art is designed to look fabulous on your walls or your throw pillows while making you want to take a closer look. And what you see there will, I hope delight you, puzzle you, and inspire you.
Doughlas: It is that, in addition to many other things. A floor tile can be decorative, but it offers few surprises and seldom evokes or inspires. My art is designed to look fabulous on your walls or your throw pillows while making you want to take a closer look. And what you see there will, I hope delight you, puzzle you, and inspire you.
Paul: Thank you.
Paul: Thank you.
Doughlas: My pleasure.
Doughlas: My pleasure.
"Vigil," 2420k, 2019
"Cones," 2460m, 2020
"Emergence," (assemblage, 48"x48") circa 2010 (photo reconstruction)
"Midsummer Night's Dream," 3140u, 2020
Bruderschaft, 2430h7, 2019
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