Malcolm Doran

Biography/Artist Statement

Born in 1935 in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, I attended Parsons School of Design in New York City on a scholarship, Kent State University in Ohio, and the Art Students League in New York City where I studied with Theodore Stamos. I lived and painted in New York City through the 60′s, then relocated to Los Angeles in 1971. Now I reside in the desert.

I have been painting since my 6th grade teacher gave me a set of paints. I continue to paint daily. I let the colors and vast open space of the desert with surrounding mountain ranges lend me freedom of expression and communication in my work.

Painting the figure has always been paramount with me but how I went about it has changed over the years. Early on Dekooning’s action painting influenced me, and later the child like freshness of Picasso’s drawing helped me to render the figure the way I wanted to portray it.

In reality there have been many artists that have helped my art to evolve. The Dutch painters Rembrandt and Van Gogh taught me a lot about portrait painting. From the French painters Cezanne and Bonnard I learned about structure and color. Now I’m using all of these to convey my message in the pictures I paint.

I’m a firm believer in having fun. Conversely, if it isn’t fun, don’t do it. That’s the way I view my art. I may have something I want to say. But I insist on having fun while saying it.