Doris Hubbell • Colorado • waow
| Great Out West | Horses | Labrador Retrievers | Cowboys | Cowgirls | Wild Horses | Range Riders | Life Out West
"Colorado became home moving from Switzerland. I met my husband on a wild America trip and married and raised 2 great sons, before I returned to my art."
Out West Art Website Doris Hubbell
Women Artists of the West, Associate
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Doris Hubbell
After moving to Colorado 30 years ago from Switzerland, Doris Hubbell discovered oil painting. Her western lifestyle in Colorado revolves around running the family ranch, raising quality horse hay, tending to a herd of 11 horses, and helping her husband raise Labrador retriever puppies.
“I actually began my journey in Switzerland. I didn’t know it at the time, but attending a Swiss college to become a teacher in handcrafts and art gave me a classical background to pursue my art career later in life. The curriculum involved textiles, color palettes, design, and art history, in addition to teaching skills. After graduating, I taught school for eight years near Luzern. By the time I was 29, I was burned out from teaching and felt a strong need for change. With encouragement from my father, my good friend Romy and I traveled around the Southwest in a 24-ft. motorhome. Neither of us spoke English at the time, so we explored everything using hand gestures, smiles, and a lot of courage.
“Many things happened on that journey, but the most important was meeting my husband, Gary. Meeting him completely changed my life—though that story is one for another time! I fell in love with him and I left my home country and began my new life in Colorado with my dream coming true. As a teenager in Switzerland, I worked at a nearby stable just to spend time with horses, but I never owned one myself. When Gary and I married, my family surprised me with a wedding gift I will never forget—my very own horse, a beautiful black Arabian gelding.
“Our life has always been filled with horses, ranch life, hunting, and Labrador Retrievers. From 1999 to 2007 we worked as outfitters in the Colorado Rockies surrounding Marble, which is where our boys spent much of their childhood. Those years were busy and demanding. Between raising kids, caring for horses and dogs, raising 100 acres of hay, and running a photography business, we were always on the move—what we called ‘run and gun’ living. In recent years, I discovered a new chapter of creativity as an oil painter. In February 2020, I attended a three-day painting clinic with a well-established artist. I fell in love with the technique immediately and have been painting ever since.
“Today I focus on expressing my love of horses, dogs, and people through art. My work combines photography and oil painting techniques, creating mixed-media pieces on canvas in many sizes. Commission work currently makes up much of my business, allowing me to create meaningful artwork for others.”
Women Artists of the West
