DOUG REINA (b. 1959)
A native of Long Island, New York, Doug studied at Buffalo State College and later with artist Joseph Reboli (1945-2004). He then ventured briefly into academics and worked as a Design instructor at Briarcliffe College. In Doug's au plein air paintings color is the main character. It leads the eye into understanding the subject matter. Color represents weather, sounds, and smells in these works. It invites us to meet people, to enter their houses, sit in their cars, watch their boats, and share their beaches. The coastal scenes rendered in Doug's paintings go beyond a pretty image, they are an abstraction of a moment in the life of a local town; similar to what one sees out of the car window when traveling to the far end of Long Island, through the heart of the countless charming towns in between. There is also once in a while a kitsch element hidden in the works of Doug Reina; an underlying sense of humor that brings Doug even closer to the style of the former 19th century French impressionist. Doug was raised in a family of artists in Long Island where he now lives and works.
