meet the artist

“When I do a piece, my goal is to capture something special in it. I'm not interested in ‘pretty,’ I want a spark of life: movement, drama, that something that will make you look twice ... that power.”

Douwe Blumberg, (“Dow”, a Dutch name) came to his art career by a rather circuitous route.

Born in Los Angeles of two amateur artists, his artistic gifts were evident early on. During a childhood that was almost a continual art education, he spent some formative years in Europe being exposed to western artistic traditions. Later he attended the University of Southern California's prestigious Idyllwild School of the Arts and Music. This was followed up with four years of sculpture/metal working education during which he won many national awards. His education was capped by an apprenticeship at a CA art foundry where he mastered the technical aspects of creating bronzes; hence his “art education” consisted of a unique and healthy mix of traditional schooling with hands-on apprenticeship. He attributes his ability to work in varied techniques and styles to this style of learning.

Upon graduation however, he did not immediately pursue a career in the arts. Rather, he became a professional horse trainer, a career he pursued for 18 years. Eventually however, he began sculpting again, albeit part time, and began accepting commissions.

As demand for his work grew, he was forced to choose between the two careers and his lifelong passion for sculpting won out. Closing his barn in 2000, he relocated to centrally located Kentucky where he built a studio and home north of Lexington.

Douwe has completed well over 200 private and public commissions and has numerous awards, residencies and shows to his credit.

Recent significant projects include a large piece for the William Shatner residence in L.A., the Las Vegas Veterans Memorial (a three year project comprising eighteen large figures), the “Americas' Response” Special Operations Monument to be placed by Ground Zero in NYC, a 17 foot tall flock of birds for the Intertex corporation of Los Angeles, a life-size herd of wild horses for the city of Aurora, CO, a large outdoor musical piece for the performing arts center in Lebanon, KY, the new entryway monument for the Vance Brand Airport in Longmont, CO and three pieces for the royal residence in Dubai. Within the last 18 months alone, he has installed five large outdoor pieces for cities across the country.