J Douglas – Artist

Gumdo, is a long Samurai-like sword. J (just J) Douglas earned his first black belt in that martial art. For 17 years J owned and operated an Olympic World Taekwondo martial arts school. How does a martial arts master change careers? By picking up a paint brush.

J delivers power with his paint brush. His “disruptive representationalism” blends powerful energy with classical realism. Yet, as a high school student  in Texas, his representational realistic style was deemed mere “photography” by his abstract-loving art teacher. “So, I got into drama instead,” said J. “I went through phases of art forms from dance to drama to commercial art until 2008. Then, I was inspired to pursue my passion of oil painting.”

“In 2008, I watched Henry Asencio paint in person. I was inspired to return to my fine art roots. I bought my paints and supplies and haven’t looked back,” said J.

“I feel that I am a lifetime student of the arts. Study and grow or get stagnant and die. I love where I am now with my art,” he says.  His journey from disheartened, but seeking student; to dance and ballet; to the martial arts; and back to painting has taken interesting turns throughout his life. The constant has been his passion for painting.

I met J at the Salamander Resort’s Gold Cup Wine Bar a number of years ago. He was my server. Immediately, I sensed something intriguing about him. I had to ask questions. I learned that his name was simply, J.  He joked, “When you’re as famous as me, just your first letter will do.” From our brief conversation, I learned that he was an artist. I also learned that his prints were for sale in the resort gift shop. That day, I bought my first J print, On Pointe. Today, we like to say that he is “an artist costumed as a server.”

Salamander Resort (Middleburg, Virginia) owner, Sheila Johnson, has a keen eye for art. Beautiful paintings of pastoral  scenes and powerful horses grace the walls of  “Middleburg’s living room” and hallways leading to the spa and ballrooms of the Salamander Resort.  Among those stunning oil paintings is a 5’ X 7’ painting titled, Destiny,  by J. The Salamander Resort is his gallery. “Sheila Johnson made me an international artist. Thanks to her, I have been able to get commissions and patrons.”

Destiny is not only very large, but very powerful as well. Looking at the painting, I can hear the horse breathing, the sand spraying on the jump standards upon takeoff, and I can tell where the next jump is from the focused look in the eye of the rider. It is a work of balance, understanding, appreciation, and respect for animal, sport, and rider. It fits beautifully into the quiet atmosphere of excellence of Ms. Johnson’s vision for the resort.

Rembrandt is J’s favorite artist. J explained, “He was a master of the face and color. There are hundreds of colors in the faces of his subjects, although we see flesh tones.” Surely, a closer look at Rembrandt’s Self Portrait reveals  multiple pallets of colors masterfully applied to beguile the eye. “The bodies of humans and horses, are captivating,” says J. “Their eyes, their strength, agility, textures, colors, and moods keep me asking and delving deeper,” he explained.

When asked about his materials, he said that oil paint is his favorite medium and that he stretches his own canvas. “Oil paints are the most forgiving medium,” he explained. He shared that there are hundreds of colors and qualities of paints. He uses only about eight colors that he mixes to achieve the exact color. His works mostly with a brush but a pallet knife has occasionally come in handy.

He works on commissions first. For his personal projects, he has a “wet wall” that he turns to when time permits. The flexibility of oil paints allows him the privilege to let some pieces “rest.” On social media, J features many time lapse videos of his work. Take a look at one for Destiny:

J gives much back to his community. He has supported the local ballet company with his On Pointe print, created a Salamander Fox for the Middleburg Garden Club’s biennial “Foxes on the Fence fundraiser,” and consults for the greater good of the area.

Always growing and trying different approaches, his artistic includes graphic an commercial art. A popular and still available image is the “Parrotheads” (of Jimmy Buffet fame) “License to Chill” license plate that he created for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

As an avid horse enthusiast and a fan of J’s equestrian paintings, I had to ask, “Do you ride horses?” “I am learning and loving it. My wife wants me to stay safe so I take riding lessons,” he replied. Being from Texas does not automatically bestow equestrian prowess. He is a horse-studier and horse lover. He naturally understands the power, spirit, movement, and essence of the horse. His paintings seem to get it just right.

J wants people to love the art they acquire and commission. He understands that it can be an economic extravagance. To help more people be able to enjoy his art, “We are now teaming up with Patreon.   Patreon is a site that allows people to support the arts.  Almost like an internet tip jar.  But, we don’t want to just ask for support.  We created a system to spread your payments out over 12 easy payments.   You decide the level of support, choose the subject of your painting and then in one year you have your original piece of art.”

J, the man, exemplifies the “polymath,” the Renaissance man. The power of his brushes tell mesmerizing stories.