DONALD DEMERS is a “Fellow” of the American Society of Marine Artists, an elected member of the Guild of Boston Artists, an elected member of the California Art Club, and a signature member of PAPA (Plein Air Painters of America). He has won a record seventeen awards at the Mystic International Marine Art Exhibition, Mystic, CT, including the Rudolph J. Schaefer Maritime Heritage Award in 2006. Demers’ illustrations have been recognized four times by the Museum of American Illustration in their national competition representing the finest examples of work in the field.
Demers was graduated from the School of the Worcester Art Museum and the Massachusetts College of Art. His professional career began as an illustrator and expanded into the field of fine art. His illustrations can be found on many book covers and in national publications such as Reader’s Digest, Sail Magazine, Field & Stream, Sports Afield, Yankee, and National Geographic.
His paintings have been featured in a number of publications, including American Artist magazine, Artist magazine, Plein Air magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, Art and Antiques, Yachting magazine, Nautical Quarterly, Nautical World, Offshore magazine, and Maine Boats and Harbors.
His work has also been featured and discussed in a number of texts, including Concordia Yawls, The First Fifty Years, by Elizabeth Meyer, Marine Painting and Yachts on Canvas, both authored by James Taylor, of Greenwich, England, Yacht Portraits published by Sheridan House, A Gallery of Marine Art, Rockport Publishers, the instructional textbook Marine Painting, Techniques of Modern Masters published by Watson Guptill and Bound for Blue Water written by J. Russell Jinishian and published by Greenwich Workshop.
Demers' interest in painting maritime subjects began while spending his summers, as a youth, on the coast of Maine near Boothbay Harbor. His maritime experience came about as a crewmember aboard many traditional sailing vessels including schooners and square-riggers. He continues to be an avid sailor.
Demers' body of work has expanded to the study and creation of landscape painting. These works are created from subjects across the country and beyond, often in consort with other artists of similar inspiration. His landscape work has garnered him two awards at the Laguna Plein Air Invitational in Laguna Beach, California in 2001 and 2002. He has also received an award for his painting at the 2007 Crystal Cove Invitational sponsored by the Irvine Museum in Orange County, CA.
