DOUGLAS CAVES

AN ARTIST WITH NEW ENGLAND IN HIS DNA

The following is a writeup on the artist from the March/April publication of Artscope Magazine by Elayne Clift.

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Whether he’s painting a barn, a building or a landscape, it’s clear that Douglas “Doug” H. Caves Sr.’s work is rooted in his response over time to the architecture, light and multiple vistas in his native state of Massachusetts and other New England places.

His awareness of art and what it can convey began very early when he was still a child. “Even as a kid,” he said, “I had an affinity for nature and art. By the time I was thirteen I knew I wanted to be a painter.”

As a teenager, Caves studied oil painting before expanding his artistic training, studying art history, sculpture and drawing at a community college where he received his first award for a bronze sculpture called “Head of Joy.” Later he pursued additional studies at the Worcester Art Museum, having been inspired by a range of artists including Rembrandt, Claude Monet, Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth and Georgia O’Keeffe. The diversity of those artists speaks to the wide range of his own artworks.

Caves then took creative writing classes at Clark University, which he recalled, “deepened my lifelong interest in expression, storytelling, and structure,” all of which he exhibits in his art. Frequent library visits over time to view art books and books about notable artists from different eras heightened his sense of the connection between writing and art, both of which tell stories.

Today, he works in a studio in his rural home in Central Massachusetts, near where he grew up. From there, Caves often paints scenes of coastal Southern Maine, and the open fields of central New England. The creations range from barns and weathered houses to still-life scenes in which he explores changing light, and emotional resonance.

He also occasionally teaches landscape and still-life painting in workshops and continuing education programs in which he encourages students to “discover what is coming out of them.” Whatever the venue, his paintings offer students and viewers who see his work in art fairs and galleries, an opportunity to “pause, reflect, and feel,” as Caves put it. His use of color and thoughtful composition showcase the essence of his work and artistic vision.

Building paintings layer-by-layer, his work explores the relationship between color, form and memory. “I’m always trying to find the right mood,” he said, “so that what I’m feeling lands on the canvas. That’s because every painting has a voice and a personality, both of which help me explore where I am going. In many cases, a painting tells me what’s really going on so that I can capture a particular moment or feeling.”

“It’s all about discovery,” Caves said as he contemplated a new painting. “I try to paint in ways that challenge me. That’s what keeps me going.”

A conversation with Doug Caves quickly reveals his sensitivity to nature, personal and artistic purpose and vision, and the importance of visual storytelling. His various paintings successfully inspire reflection and remembrance in moving ways that help us achieve the “right mood.” That is his authentic gift derived from his love of art and his talent in presenting it.

— Elayne Clift