I paint with acrylics on canvas. I took art classes in junior high and high school and in high school I won a best of show award for an art contest held by the Hillsborough County school system. It was a small abstract painting and I was surprised and flattered I won. I received a set of Britannica encyclopedias and $100. A few years after high school I fled Tampa and moved to Los Angeles. I worked at a hotel in Beverly Hills for quite a few years as a bartender. I dabbled in painting off and on as a hobby. I also pursued acting but it didn’t amount to much so I gave it up.
A few years ago I focused on painting a lot and in the fall of 2006 I was accepted into the Affaire In The Gardens Art Show sponsored by the city of Beverly Hills which is held twice a year in a park in the namesake town. I happily sold ten paintings that weekend. Since then things happened and I moved back home to the Tampa area. At this time I paint as a hobby and derive my inspiration from preconceived images in my head, spontaneous creations, and my interpretations of subjects I see in real life. I’m grateful to be accepted into the Mission: Beautification Project along with other fine artists. |
Doug Karup - Painter