Minnesota painter Doug Lew was introduced to the brush at school in Shanghai, where he was born and lived until age 15 before immigrating to the United States. In China, the daily practice of calligraphy was mandatory and, for the young artist, was coupled with the opportunity to study watercolor traditions. He attributes his expertise at “force and lightness, energy and ease” to this early training.

Doug applies a calligraphic style to his watercolor renderings of the human form. He states, “The human body is probably the most observed object in the world. Every tilt of the head and bend of the torso, every twist of the hip and crook of the knee, every cross and turn of the leg, every curl of the finger—in short, every standing, sitting, squatting, and reclining position of the body presents an infinite variety of views and drawing challenges.”

The artist literally “wrote the book” on figure studies. His Painting from Life: Explorations in Watercolor, culled from four years of attendance at weekly life drawing sessions, was published in 2004.

Doug holds both a BFA and an MA from Bradley University in Illinois. A longtime exhibitor and award-winner at watercolor exhibitions nationwide, his work is regularly included at events hosted by the Midwest Watercolor Society, the Louisiana Watercolor Society and the Salmagundi Club in New York City.