From Joe Cortina

I first met Doug in 1984 through a mutual friend, Leigh Sutherland.  Thank you Leigh.  In 1989 I convinced the national television program “USA Today on TV” to do a piece on Doug’s Alien Bathing Suit.  I was directing the show at the time so they didn’t have much choice.  Shortly after that the show was canceled.  I don’t think that had anything to do with it.

One evening in early 1990 I had one of the most vivid dreams of my life.  I was swimming with a tattooed dolphin aboard Doug’s BLUESTAR.  I woke, did a quick painting of the dolphin I swam with and sent it to Doug.  That started a course of events and over the next 13 years we became close friends and business partners.

One of the last conversations we had was about the truth, and the importance of the truth in this world of half-truths.  Doug was always about the truth, about his feelings, about his art, and about the way he lived his life. Right now his death has not hit me fully.  In a few months when I pick up the phone to start to call him, or look through the mail for the unmistakable marking of his letters, that’s when this loss will sink in.

On my last couple of visits to Houston we took pictures climbing on the Enron statue and fought off the buzzards at the House of the Century.  What a blast!  Truly original, brilliant, funny, and kind, I am sure I will never have another friend like Doug.  I will miss him terribly

Joe Cortina