About

Louisa Dugan is a fine artist and freelance illustrator in Washington, DC. A graduate of George Washington University with a BA in Art History with minors in Fine Arts and French, Louisa also studied design at the Sorbonne and the Ecole Superieur des Arts in Paris and printmaking and design at the Maryland Institute College of Art. She also holds a masters degree in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University.

As an illustrator, she has published widely in Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Governing Magazine, The Scientist to name a few and done special graphics for the Office of Vice President Al Gore. Louisa has also shown her paintings and prints at The Watergate Gallery, Strathmore Hall, The NIH Galleries, The R St Gallery at Dupont Circle, Zenith Gallery and won numerous awards including the David Lloyd Kreeger Award for Excellence in Design and Washington, DC’s Aspiring Artist Award from the Office of the Mayor of the District of Columbia.

Artist’s Statement:

This menagerie of birds and beasts represents my love for storytelling, color and design.  Each piece is an animal vignette with a contemporary twist.                       

         As a former freelance illustrator for newspapers and magazines, I needed to depict the more “serious” ideas that editorial work required. But as a fine artist, I’m now free to paint what inspires and amuses me, gives me joy and celebrates the quirkier and more charming side of life…in this case, it’s the animal world with all its vibrant energy. In pieces depicting surreal landscapes, I play with scale, color and juxtapose objects to create original narratives and dreamscapes to probe ideas. 

The beads and jewels I’ve used throughout my work add a bit more whimsy and fun to the pieces.  And as you can see, I’m not afraid to experiment!  

If you enjoy this work and would like your own pet or spirit animal to be painted, please note that I am happy to take commissions.