The award-winning artist Doug Bootes has used raw determination to pursue his populist brand of painting while raising a family and working two jobs. His style is loose and spontaneous, capturing the impressions of everyday people going about their daily business in a variety of locales. Bootes’ characteristic treatment is painterly line-work that zips and swirls from one corner of the canvas to the next over areas of bold color, giving the impression of motion and the overall dynamism of urbanity.

During a period of traveling Bootes began to capture imagery of everyday situations, “These interludes capture minute gestures and expressions that depict how our lives are fragmented and abstracted,” he explains, “grounded by everyday routines.” His efforts have resulted in over 1200 works, 400 of which are in private collections around the world, from Europe to Australia. Currently Bootes is working on advancing his natural history museum in addition to working on community arts programs. Bootes lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico.