Today we’d like to introduce you to Doug Barlow
Hi Doug, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always enjoyed Art… I started to draw probably before I could write. I grew up in the town Alpine in Utah As a kid I got to take Art lessons from Dennis Smith who also grew up here in Alpine and is a very accomplished Artist. In High School my interest in Art continued, I was the Sterling Scholar from my high school, and received several scholarships in Art. I choose to go to Utah State, over BYU and Utah…I felt really good about going to Utah State and majored in Art Illustration. Minored in Photography and Language.
I illustrated some out of college…but soon turned to just doing commission paintings… Along the way life happened…Marriage, 4 kids, my own company…ect etc..I did not have the time to paint like I wanted to. 2 years ago I got covid, really bad- I did not think I was going to make it. The work I had done for income….I could no longer do. I had been working for 2 years before covid in building my portfolio. I was living in Helper Utah and was showing and selling my Art there. Covid was a blessing looking back- it allowed me to stay in one place and paint!
I currently show my work out in Helper, Utah.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been easy…after a 27 year marriage ended in divorce, I moved to Sweden. It was a new beginning and had planed to stay. But…fate had other plans. The place I was living at caught fire one night, I dragged everyone out of the house…everyone made it- but all was lost in the house….I got out with my passport only. Then it was to California and Arizona briefly. then back here to Utah. as of late the biggest challenge is how Covid changed everything for me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My company da Vinci Details designed, and built old world style products for luxury custom homes….Big wood and iron gates. exterior shutters and decorative iron straps and handles for garage doors…We made things look old. After covid I could not do the work anymore and only still do the iron works.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Many would say I am a risk taker….But, I am a very confident person and know I can do anything I set out to do. Ive done some things that may not of looked great on paper- but…always turn out to be a great experience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://artpal.com/davinci65
- Facebook: DM Barlow Fine Art
