The Art of DoLoBo: from Shy Baltimore Guy to Award Winning Artist

It's never too late nor are you too old to make your dreams come true. Just ask Donald Louis Booker, 47, of Baltimore, Maryland. DoLoBo, as he is now known, always knew he had a gift to draw. He wasn't one for pursuing his career in drawing...until something magical happened.........

DoLoBo, like most other children, learned how to draw on the walls at age 3. His mother was shocked at his artistic ability. Mrs. Anne Walters says, "He drew more than scribbles unlike other kids his age. I could see birds, houses and cars. I could make out just what it was he was drawing. Though I didn't want him drawing on the walls, I quickly gave him activity books to draw in. I knew I had a protégé!"

In grade school DoLoBo describes that he a good student, but a loaner. Making friends wasn't so easy. "I always excelled in Art class. I suppose I preferred drawings knights, warriors, or fantasy and make-believe over working on my social skills. For all intents and purposes art helped me escape into a world I created. I didn't have time for friends. If I had a crush on a girl, I drew her instead of talked to her."

Drawing and painting would be a world further explored while DoLoBo worked for his Bachelor's in Art from Towson State University. He says, "Back then art was taught and a lot of my instructors would say 'don't do this' or 'do it this way'. I respected them greatly but in the literal sense, would often remember their advice and in doing so, it would prevent me from doing things my way. I remember entering a hand drawn comic strip with pirates into a comic strip contest, it was my first and last rejection letter. I was discouraged, and I suppose my art wasn't as good as it could have been. Most people back then viewed art as a hobby and not so much for a career path. One day I just went against everything I was taught, and let the ink flow from the pen naturally." Perhaps DoLoBo was ahead of his time, for years later the whole "Pirates of the Caribbean" craze would have swept through.....

DoLoBo reminisces, "Oil painting and drawing came easy, so I began to explore other things." This included mediums such as sculpting, wire wrapped jewelry and working with water colors. Donald says, "Each type of paint requires a slightly different technique." DoLoBo quickly built up a reputation in his hometown suburb of Parkville for sculpting miniature people and train garden houses for local Christmas displays. He painted snowball trucks and catering vehicles. He even admits to hand painting some birdhouses for the local craft fair.

In his mid thirties, DoLoBo launched his own line of wire wrapped jewelry incorporating gemstones and Old World wire wrapping techniques. Hand selecting every semi-precious stone, making sure the setting was just right, he was his own worst critic. "I was known as the local jeweler. Everyone wanted me to come to their party, and I'd often leave with more orders than I could handle and ten broken watches to repair. I loved it, but I really worried that I'd never get back to drawing." He did this into his forties, and was doing consultant work and teaching art classes to local neighborhood residents. "I encouraged everyone to explore their artistic side. "

Then something happened that would stop his career in his tracks. Both his Mother and Father hit their eighties, and both became ill. DoLoBo says, "I needed to put my career aside and provide full time care for them. I stopped all consulting work and felt like I was in a creative rut. One of my students encouraged me to keep doodling, as she was doing a book. I gave her eight sketchbooks full of dragons, warriors, princesses, you name it. I told her she could use them, the next thing I know, I'm the artist of her book and more consulting work was soon to follow. Not only did this get my spirits back, but the work was coming in quicker than I could handle. "

A quick tour of DoLoBo's basement studio will leave you in awe. Piles upon piles of oil pastel paintings of dragons, warriors, and fantasy creatures will take your breath away. Overnight DoLoBo went from a neighborhood "cellar dweller" to an award winning artist. Paints scattered about the workstations and easels paint a rainbow in the darkness. Recently one of his flying dragon oil paintings won an award in a nationwide dragon drawing contest, which is somewhere piled in a chair. Among the mess is years of creative talent, just waiting to be had.

He says, "I recently won a contest in Oregon. I was shocked as I'm across country in Baltimore. It made me realize all this time, if I had put myself out there, and believed a little more in myself I would have made it. I'm glad things worked out like they did. They say, never to give up on your dreams. Timing is everything. "

DoLoBo's published works are featured in THE PRISM: Book One, Princess Nedia , Transformation of a Dream. The e-book is in circulation now, and paper and hardback copies due out the end of May 2009. DoLoBo says, "In my spare time I still draw, and now am contracted for two more books in the trilogy series. I've found a new love for drawing, and light in the darkness."

DoLoBo explains he would still like to someday draw for a comic book, and perhaps put out a compilation book full of his fantasy artwork. I asked if he had any advice to others? DoLoBo says, "If I could do it all again, I'd never let that one rejection letter stop me. My advice is don't stop until you get a shoebox full (of rejection letters), and if you do stop, only stop to drink coffee and contemplate your next step."

For more about DoLoBo you can visit his website at www.DoLoBoArt.com, or visit his DoLoBoJewelry shop on Etsy.