Doug LaRue

Doug LaRue is an American Contemporary Artist who describes the goal of his artwork as the interplay of emotional and ethereal experiences. The method in his artistic formula often results in Realist, Figurative and Abstract imagery through traditional oil paintings on canvas and contemporary mixed media. The outward nature of emotion often results in a figurative expression—the more visceral the emotion the more realist the figurative expression. The ephemeral inner nature of ethereal experiences often manifests more in the abstract. LaRue fuses these intersections of inner and outer experiences into unique artistic expressions. 

Exposed to a wide range of creative expression at an early age living in Austin, Texas Doug quickly developed a passion for drawing and painting from his mother, an accomplished Oil Painter and the technical aspects of Photography, Design and Sports from his father, a Mechanical Engineer / NCAA Football Referee. Doug began to win art contests in grade school and flew through honors Art classes in high school, worked at camera stores, theaters and photo labs, interned with several photographers, attended summer classes at Southern Methodist University, won a national publication design award and was featured in a film which led to a college scholarship.

Doug graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Design from Texas A&M University College of Architecture while he worked as a NCAA Sports Photojournalist for regional publications, United Press International and Associated Press. LaRue’s art education continued as a Medical Illustrator for the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences producing medical art with traditional mediums, specialized graphics computers, cameras, video, film and digital press equipment. He continually educated himself in digital media design, illustration and photography through workshops offered to state agencies including the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Advanced Airbrush workshop at the Smithsonian Institute of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Doug’s work has been showcased in solo shows and group shows including the Texas State Capitol, Austin City Hall, The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University and the Forsyth Gallery Collections at Texas A&M University. Doug has designed architecture, designed and published books and magazines, published a nationally distributed Arts & Entertainment magazine, photographed science and music documentaries independently and for the History Channel and Country Music Television, art directed films and commercials, wrote and directed a Screen Actor's Guild independent film, appeared in studio feature films and supports Water Conservation causes.

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