MOOSE JAW — For Moose Jaw artist Charlene Douglas, creativity begins just a few steps outside her front door.
A longtime painter and musician, Douglas was among the local vendors showcasing their talents at the Atria Mulberry Estates grand re-opening celebration recently. While others offered crafts and baked goods, Douglas’s table stood out with a selection of vibrant oil paintings — each one deeply rooted in the natural world.
“I paint a real variety of flowers, scenery and wildlife, like birds and rabbits,” she said. “I walk through Spring Creek every day, and a lot of my paintings are from photos I’ve taken (on one of my walks).”
Her regular excursions have provided no shortage of inspiration — from deer grazing in the shade only a few metres away to a den of foxes playing happily under the train trestle.
“If you look up in the sky, you see Snowbirds. It’s just a really great walk,” she said. “It’s a great way to start my day.”
Douglas has been painting for more than 30 years, always returning to oils as her preferred medium.
“I’ve tried other media, and I always come back to oil. It’s just a personal favourite,” she explained. “I like the way it flows. I can get my dynamic colour (with oil paintings); I see in Technicolor.”
Many of her pieces are done on large canvases — some even approaching the size of a door, including a painting of Jesus on permanent display at Church of Our Lady — in order to fully capture the spirit of a scene. Another such painting, titled It’ll Be My Walk, reflects the essence of her daily outings along Spring Creek and features her signature style of vivid, sweeping brushwork.
“There’s always something new in my head that needs to come out,” she said, playfully adding that “It’s like a healthy addiction.”
Douglas operates out of a home studio where she can work without interruption. When she’s not painting, she also entertains residents at Atria Mulberry Estates by playing the acoustic guitar and singing — a role she’s taken on with joy.
“I’ll be here (at Mulberry Estates) again next Friday, playing and singing,” she said.
Her work has been displayed in various businesses around the city and continues to gain regional attention. This fall, Douglas will be featured in a group exhibition at the Art Gallery of Regina, where she’s previously found success with her pieces.
Despite her growing reputation, Douglas remains grounded in the community and the natural beauty that surrounds it. She said the spontaneous discoveries along Spring Creek — like a spiderweb glinting in the morning sun in a piece she aptly named “Charlotte’s Web,” or a curious fawn stopping to stare her way — are what keep her coming back to the canvas.
“You have to go out there and be in the moment,” she said. “It’s surprising. Like, who would expect to see a den of fox or deer right there? It’s just amazing.”
To view a selection of Douglas’s work or to get in touch, she said the best way is by searching for “Charlene Douglas Oil Paintings” on Facebook.
