This distinguished, brooding portrait almost seems to depict some Spanish caballero of the type painted by Velázquez or El Greco. However, I met a cheerier version of this same face on Wednesday at the Cape Ann Museum. It belongs to Leon Doucette, who was our docent for the regular 11AM guided tour. He grew up in Gloucester, moved away for a few years (including college), and then moved back recently and started working at the Cape Ann Museum. His local knowledge and love of art was evident in the tour he gave us.
Besides being a really nice person, he is a very talented painter. When he said he is an artist, I looked him up right away on my iPhone and found his blog. My first thought when I saw his painting was, “why is this guy not 24/7 behind an easel?” I guess it’s hard for an artist – especially a young man who is relatively new on the scene – to get enough work painting to do that full-time. At least he has a job in an art museum! But honestly, his work is really good, worth checking out. Here’s another image from his website:
Great, isn’t it? There is a lot more on his blog.
Sadly, he doesn’t have any work on display right now in Gloucester. I am going to follow his blog in the hopes he announces a local show sometime soon.
I wonder how many other talented young artists like Leon are hidden in our midst… They are the future of the art community here on Cape Ann. I hope they get the support and recognition they deserve.
Fortunately, we have initiatives like the The Cape Ann Painter and Photographer Group, which meets the second Monday of each month from 9:00 to 10:30 at the Annie. In general, from what I’ve seen, the Cape Ann art community is very welcoming and encouraging for artists who are new to the area.
Good Morning Gloucester 
Reblogged this on Perpetual Learner.
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amazingly great portrait of his father.
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Wow! These paintings are wonderful!!!!!
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Thanks for sharing this Fr. Green.
I followed your link to the website and was blown away by this artists work.
His style immediately reminded me of Rembrandt – don’t know how long he’s been at it but for sure he’s already an accomplished artist!
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Isn’t he amazing? I hope he gets enough commissions so that he can eventually paint full-time.
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His work is excellent. What a talent!
Thank you, father, for sharing.
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there’s that word hope again. i put my trust in his industriousness and in your continued support of this fine young man’s talent. do you always hover just above despair?
best,
deb.
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Hi, Deb! For me, hope is not “just above despair”, but something more positive. The word “hope” can have slightly different meanings in different contexts, of course, but generally it means something that we desire and believe possible, but which we do not know for sure. So, I trust in his talents, and I know I will support him as I can, but I do not know that that’s will be enough to make him successful as a painter. I know it is possible for him to be a successful painter, and I desire that to be the case, but I do not know for sure. So, I hope. For me, “just above despair” would be something more like apathy. But “hope” in this context is somewhat less then “trust,” which implies a greater degree of certainty. Which is not the case, for example, in theology, where hope and trust are much more akin.
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Thank you for the clarity. Apathy is another word that I often find uttered in the public dialogue that sometimes cracks me up; particularly when opposing sides are calling one another apathetic…which can’t be true if they are arguing.
I enjoy your posts.
deb.
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