Duane
believes in painting what he knows, and his subjects
and style are heavily influenced by his personal
history. Born in West Deptford Township, New Jersey,
Duane's hometown was a diverse mix of farms and
post WWII suburbs intermixed at the industrial
shores of the Delaware River.
At
age 6, Duane recalls being deeply impressed by
his school's print of "Christina's World",
by Andrew Wyeth, hanging in the hall outside of
his classroom. "My kindergarten class had
to queue up twice a day in front of the painting
before and after recess... I was deeply moved by
the painting, and endlessly pondered the woman's
thoughts and feelings..." Duane has enjoyed
drawing and sketching since childhood, though initially
he preferred keeping his work private. He wanted
to create work that met his own standard of merit,
and for his own enjoyment. This attitude resulted
in a reluctance to follow trends, submit to instruction,
and eventually an aversion to commercializing his
work.
Following
high school, Duane studied design at Virginia Commonwealth
University's School of the Arts in Richmond, VA.
While Duane appreciated the value of formal training,
he eventually left school feeling he needed to
take a different path. He continued to live in
Richmond for several years until a desire to search
for new opportunities encouraged him to move on.
During Duane's restless period his address changed
numerous times including Baltimore, Washington
D.C., and coastal Carolina.
Following
his latest move to Raleigh, NC, in 2001, Duane
found new inspiration and less reason to be reclusive
about sharing his artwork. Duane now works from
his home-based studio creating works that focus
on the North Carolina landscape, as well as, works
inspired by his families' travels. Duane's hope
is that his work frees the imagination, illuminates
the mind, and inspires the spirit.
-Thank
you for visiting!
