Dante Douglas
BFA: Art with an Emphasis in Illustration
Artist Name:
Dante Douglas
Work Title:
Canis
Medium:
Paper mache, watercolor, oil, ceramics, dog fur, yarn, sawblade, hay
Artist Statement:
My work centers on a personal fixation with creating narratives for characters, using both animal and human figures to explore uncomfortable concepts and conditions. Rather than serving as vessels for emotional weight, these characters become confidants. I often abstract the animal body, taking or adding an aspect to the form, allowing composition and presence to subtly suggest narrative. This impulse stems from my childhood growing up with massive St. Bernard dogs, whose imposing physical form contradicted their emotional serenity. They, as well as several other animals, inspired me in my youth to play pretend, imagining storylines and relationships for them. Though, in reality, they were just dogs. Within my practice, I also embed queer experience in a quiet, “if you know you know” way; relating this to the shifting boundary between the humanity we project onto animals and the humanity we strip from them.
Artist Bio:
Dante Douglas is an illustrator based in Southern Illinois. He is pursuing a BFA with emphasis in illustration at Webster University, St. Louis. He has had work presented in the Soulard Art Gallery of St. Louis, and has had work published through Ink and Drink Comics. Dante is a freelance-artist and works in several different mediums, such as oil, watercolor, graphite, digital, and more. His work presents highly detailed, high-contrast scenes with a dark, dreary tone that is offset by a subtle, often comedic tension.
Artist Portfolio: