About the Show

“We do not want joy and anger to neutralize each other and produce a surly contentment; we want a fiercer delight and a fiercer discontent. We have to feel the universe at once as an ogre’s castle, to be stormed, and yet as our own cottage, to which we can return to at evening.”

-G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

We cannot allow ourselves to become content with the little progress that St. Louis has made. We also cannot allow ourselves to become so discontent that we reject any hope for future progress. We must hold fierce anger at what ails our communities, while simultaneously holding fierce love for every community member in our city. St. Louis is an ogre’s castle of inequity, but it is also our home.

ARTruism is ten paintings representing ten non-profit organizations in St. Louis. These organizations were selected for not only their excellence in community engagement and impact, but also for their diversity of programming. Many of these paintings have a red stripe in them. These paintings correspond to organizations whose primary service area was redlined in 1937.

There are great ways to have a positive impact on your community that do not involve the exchange of money. We can create relationships, health, skills, meals, homes, families, art, and hope simply by spending the time and being willing to show up. Each of these paintings will be donated to deserving volunteers at their corresponding organizations.*

In addition to representing local non-profit organizations, Doug has locally sourced all of his materials for this show. The paintings are made on wood panels from Fehlig Brothers Box and Lumber Company, operating in St. Louis since 1873. Doug used pigments from Huntsman Pigment Company that were made in St. Louis. He made pigment using copper from Shapiro Metal Supply, which has been in business in St. Louis since 1904. Doug also made pigments from plants that he grows in the 13th Street Community Garden in Old North St. Louis. Doug’s paints are made with Linseed, Walnut, and Safflower oils from Missouri and Illinois, and beeswax from Joy Stinger, who keeps bees in Clayton, MO.

If you wish to volunteer at any of these organizations, please use the fillable form below.



*Distribution of paintings is at the discretion of the individual organizations.

Disclaimer: Any and all views expressed in these paintings are solely those of the artist, and are not representative of the views of the organizations.

ARTruism Volunteer Application

Participating organizations include:

Project Raise the Roof Description

LOVEtheLOU Description

We Stories Description

Employment Connection Description

Lift for Life Gym Description

North Newstead Neighborhood Association Description

PotBangerz Description

MIRA Description

FamilyForward Description

Central Print Description