'I am an observational painter. I am engaged with the art of trying to find and lay down upon my canvases accurate translations of what I see. … My experience, like my motif, is unfixed, variable and ongoing.'
Douglas Gray RSMA (b. 1965, Harrogate) is a serious, observational painter whose work centres on how light, atmosphere, and human presence coexist in everyday scenes. His preferred medium is oil, and through careful layering and tonal control, he creates paintings that feel real and emotionally resonant-neither overly romantic nor illustrative; developing a style grounded in realism but illuminated by atmosphere. Gray emphasises observation over invention. As he explains: 'I am an observational painter. I am engaged with the art of trying to find and lay down upon my canvases accurate translations of what I see. … My experience, like my motif, is unfixed, variable and ongoing.'
This statement reflects his disciplined process: studying shifting light and fleeting expression, and honouring the subtle changes of perception over time. His work doesn't settle into a static moment but remains dynamic, rooted in lived experience.