MadillStudio shows the fine art painting of Doug Madill. Launched in May 2000, it continues to reflect the diversity of his creative oeuvre.

About the Artist

Doug Madill was born in 1972 near Chicago, Illinois and lived predominantly in the rural town of Bainbridge, Ohio near Cleveland. He has a 1994 BFA from Pratt Institute.

Madill is a painter who explores the introspective and meditative through his invented, dream-like landscape paintings. He seeks to emphasize the need for some sort of a sanctuary that can remind one of natural laws in and around us that propel us forward as human beings, and where one can explore freely and recapture directions that heal the disconnects in our lives.

He often cites his interest in writing poetry as a youngster as a prelude to his visual art. A favorite motif was to portray himself as a lone wanderer of waterfalls, woodlands, and marshy fields, as well as speculating on the changing seasons and the weather. His first "book" of poetry at the age of 9 was titled "A Poet's Thought is the Kind of Poem" which was filled with references to nature imagery and feelings of solitude. His interest in visual art began a few years after when he could no longer overcome writer's block and began to explore colored pencil abstractions mixed with watercolor and collage.

Much later at Pratt Institute he majored in studio arts, mostly painting and printmaking. Sketching "en plein air" became a dominant focus at first. His inspiration was Brooklyn's neighborhood as seen from the rooftops of Pratt's campus. During the latter half of his days at Pratt he began painting larger, surreal subjects that were based on dreams.

Some of his influences early on were cubism, surrealism, fauvism, and even sci-fi illustration. As he was maturing in subject and in painting style, he explored what he called a muralistic style to painting- staccato brush strokes, coarse modelling, mysterious subject matter- all meant to be seen from afar. More concerned with a personal mythology, the paintings became grouped as his "visionary" works.

He experienced a change again in his approach to painting out of a desire to deepen the experience of his painting process and of his search for more personal subject matter. His more detailed scenes tended to be intimate, quieter, and more tranquil.

He currently lives and works in Jersey City.

Doug Madill proudly announces his inclusion into SW!PE Magazine...check it out at swipemagazine.com

Linked to MadillStudio is Doug Madill's blogsite where he journals his impromptu sketches of the day... sketchanything.blogspot.com