Doug Bell

Artist’s Statement

Doug Bell
Paintings

Bell’s artwork is characterized by a humorous, unpredictable and provocative use of ordinary materials, and his process is fueled by an interest in reclaiming, recycling and reorganizing the abundance of discarded, rejected and overlooked materials of our society. He is interested in, and compulsive about, arranging, organizing, and fine-tuning his collections of second-hand surplus that has the worn patina of human use. Bell’s work addresses issues and raises questions about acquisition, consumption, and perceived value through ownership. His motivation is derived from subject matter as diverse as history, religion, politics, power, wealth, waste, and greed. Sometimes treating subjects with humor veiled with satire or anger wrapped in compassion, his work always shows the evidence of being hand made.

Bell makes paintings and drawings in an alternating rhythm of fast-paced high productivity followed by a thoughtful regeneration period. He creates work in multiples, series and “batches.” His stretched canvases and wood panels are sometimes painted in oils, but most often with subtle hues of acrylic based paints thickened with additives and layered with complimentary colors. Recently he has been manipulating iron filings and marble dust while embedding found objects in paint making efforts to move away from the traditions of stretched canvas.

The sculpture Bell makes ranges from table-top sized, manipulated found object pieces, to life size tableaus and wall sized installations made up of hundreds of objects as diverse as old lamps, desks, chairs and cast off furniture to collections of rocks or bones and jars of nuts and bolts. He also might employ the sounds and light from old radios, televisions and outdated electronics.

Bell’s work is a reflection of his need to make order out of chaos and give meaning to the incoherent. What is of primary interest to him is the physical process of making art and the recognition of his inherent desire to fix things, make things, and make things better.

The artist’s work is in many public collections including the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University and the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park. His work is in international collections such as Fidelity Management and Euro Disney Corporation, Paris, France. He has received grants and awards from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, the Massachusetts Artist foundation and was recognized by the New England Foundation for the Arts.

How to Get Involved

Interested in showing your artwork in the Dome Gallery?

Vineyard Dome Gallery Application (PDF)

Dome Gallery Procedures at the Vineyard (Cambridge Site) – (PDF)

Visual Arts Committee

Interested in getting involved with planning the art exhibits for the gallery spaces at the Vineyard?

Contact | Jim Banks