Meet Gigi Douglas: Artist + Creative Project Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gigi Douglas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gigi, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
I am not a parent, but I have to take a moment to give gratitude for both my parents in helping shape my creative self. Growing up, my mom always made sure I had access to art supplies and creative classes (even one where I built a life size dream monster out of chicken wire and paper mache)! A year ago, upon realizing how influential her support had been, I thanked her and she promptly replied, “well, I thought it was important that you could do things where there weren’t any rules.” I give her a lot of credit to my ability to think outside the box. And my dad raised me with a deep belief that I would do amazing things. No matter what I was working on, he was always so proud and encouraging. He sadly passed away when I was only 8 years old, which has perhaps had the most profound impact on my art, sense of the world, and desire to become an entrepreneur. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an artist out of the lovely Boulder, CO. I am inspired by music, people, travel, and the many facets of beauty in our world. Using imperfect symmetry and contrasting shades of similar tones, I try to capture the ever flowing balance of light and dark, good and evil & positive and negative that surrounds the universe. I also am constantly on the hunt for ways to promote good, which is why I often tie profits to causes I believe in and use almost 100% reclaimed paint/wood/materials in the murals, paintings, and other items I create. The journey to get to where I am has really spanned the entirety of my life since art making has always been present. Each piece I have made has been a stepping stone towards where I am headed and a direct reflection of where I am at. Because I use my art as therapy, the road is not always easy. The process of creating art always has its moments of discomfort and pain…similarly to life. Despite this truth, you kinda have to just keep moving forward through the muck. Eventually, after enough time and perseverance, you step back and see that you have created something beautiful and unique to you. It is truly amazing looking back at various art I have made and being blasted back to exactly where I was at and what I was doing at that moment in my life. It’s amazing!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely bring them to the mountains…it is my favorite part of living here! The look out point up Flagstaff at Realization Point is one of my faves for sunset because you can see the Great Divide and Boulder all in one view. I also will bring them on just about any distance hike they are up for…the ways to be outside are endless here in Colorado. I also am quite community focused so I would most likely bring them to meet friends in town – in a safe and socially spaced way of course. Perhaps North Boulder Park for a bring-your-own-food picnic or a Boulder Creek dip. There are so many great spots for food and beverages, but Bitter Bar, Arcana, Fresh Thymes, Shine, and Black Belly are some of my personal favorites.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow! There are so many people that have helped me get to where I am today. The countless teachers, family members, friends, books, documentaries, companies, and more – everything has helped shape me and my world view, thus pushing me towards where I have always been heading. I think my parents, both in very different ways, have been the biggest influence. My father’s passing as an 8 year old girl forced me to learn some pretty heavy life lessons at a young age, all of which really shaped me. This event taught me to never take things for granted, see the best in the people and world around me, and really go for what I wanted in life. My mom, raising my brother and I at young ages on her own, taught us that community was everything and that we could and would still be successful despite hardships in life. In fact, it actually was the hardships that could bring about the best outcomes. She also always made sure to provide materials and experiences that not only got me thinking creatively, but enabled me to grow up as an independent do-er.

Website: www.gigidouglas.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gigi_douglas/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gigidouglas/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gigi.douglas.5/

Image Credits
No credits needed!