The vibrant paintings of Texas native, Downe Burns reflect the passion he
has both for painting, and for life itself. Inspired by the natural beauty of his desert
surroundings, the artist chooses to paint this landscape, adding his own unique
interpretation. "I am a colorist at heart", Burns admits, "and I often
spend hours blending pigments to find just the perfect shade. For me, the subject is often
secondary. Color is my forte."
As another trademark touch, Burns often inserts an element, such as the
saguaro cacti, that is somehow out of character, melding this unusual composition and his
electrifying colors into an image that is truly unforgettable.
Largely self-taught, Burns studied business and art history at Texas Tech
University for a brief time before leaving academics to paint on a regular basis. He was
barely 19 at the time he responded to the vision of his artistic muse, but in less than
five years, his work had become so widely recognizable that he was frequently the subject
of profiles on television, radio, newspapers and magazines. He has twice been selected as
the poster artist for the Albuquerque International Balloon Festival, and his paintings
can also be view on the sets of such popular TV shows as "Beverly Hills 90210",
"Melrose Place" and "Suddenly Susan".
Before Burns begins working on a new painting, the first thing he does is
pick a selection from among the hundreds of cd’s he owns. "Music is my biggest
influence when it comes to forming new ideas for my work", the artist relates. For
instance, Neil Young’s recording, "On the Beach", became the catalyst for a
new series of images. "I just let the music pour over me, and suddenly I began to see
these wonderful houses in my head. They were like little beach cottages, but set in other
surroundings they could just as easily have been situated in some remote mining
town."
In addition to this series which he has entitled, "New
Beginnings", Burns has also created "Live to Be Still", which features a
winsome selection of flowers, and a selection of cowboy profiles, which he calls
"After Work".
