Biography
"I am not trying to change the world - just brighten it up a little". Eric Waugh with his papillon "Moka"
Eric Waugh
Born: Montreal - November 21st 1963. Eric Waugh is one of the most recognizable and collected young artists of fine art originals among both private and corporate collectors throughout North America.
Waugh is self taught in every artistic aspect. He gained experience in the fields of graphic illustration and product design before turning to painting in 1988. Since then, the tremendous quality and range of his work has escalated his popularity among art connoisseurs to the point where his paintings have been acquired by thousands of major corporate and private collectors worldwide, placing the prolific Eric Waugh at a level of distinguished prominence in today's international art market.
Waugh works primarily in acrylics on a variety of surfaces, adding embellishments such as acrylic textures, metallic paints and pens, and watercolor pencils. With his masterful use of vibrant colors, rich textures, and lively subject matter, Waugh’s fun yet sophisticated art celebrates life. Waugh’s artistic themes embrace the excitement and energy of urban life, romance, music, pets, and still life, and reflect his own heartfelt passion for the arts and his appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. Waugh’s art reveals his own positive and enthusiastic outlook.
Not content solely with studio painting, however, Waugh also takes his art to the people with live painting performances at upscale events from New York to San Francisco and from Montreal to Miami. He has painted live at the BB King Blues Club, the Hard Rock Hotel, the House of Blues, among many others. At these events, Waugh brings to life a unique form of artistic expression by blending art and music. Inspired by live music, Waugh creates original art before audiences, painting to the beat of virtually any style of music, capturing its rhythms and energy on his canvas. He has painted live with such diverse musical talents as Tony Bennett, Nelly Furtado, the Wallflowers, John Waite, the Doobie Brothers, Russ Freeman and The Rippingtons, Allan Harris, Tommy Emmanuel, Randy Weston, Jefferson Starship, Freddy Cole, Jacques Lesure, Marc Cohn, Maria Howell, and the Cobb Symphony Orchestra, among others. Waugh’s musically inspired artistry delights both art and music lovers alike.
Waugh also garners much media attention. He was featured nationally on CNN and “The Today Show”; and he has painted live on many other broadcasts such as NBC-TV Chicago; “Good Day, Atlanta” Fox 5; “Saturday Morning” CBS-TV Minneapolis; “The Morning Show” Jacksonville, FL; “Good Morning, Atlanta,” “Today in South Florida” NBC-TV, Miami; and many others.
As a humanitarian, charitable work is an integral part of Eric Waugh the artist. Waugh created “Hero,” the Guinness Book of World’s Records holder for the world’s largest painting on canvas (41,400 square feet) by a single artist; proceeds benefit Camp Heartland and the Starlight Children’s Foundation. He has painted live at other charitable events including Franco Harris’s Super Bowl Immaculate Reception Benefit for The Children’s Miracle Network; CowParade of Atlanta, where he painted a life-size fiberglass cow and designed the official Cow Parade poster for the American Cancer Society. He painted 4-36 x 48” canvases suspended cables during the Atlanta Children’s Shelter Charity Jazz Ball. He has painted live for the benefit of Camp Heartland and the Starlight Children’s Foundation; “Taste of the Nation,” which fights hunger; for UNICEF “Designs of Hope”; for Gilda’s Club of Rochester, NY; and many other organizations. Waugh’s efforts have helped raise over $500,000 in the last few years alone.
