Doug Panton, RCA
(b. Toronto, Ontario | Lives and works in Toronto, Canada)

Doug Panton is a Canadian multidisciplinary artist and educator known for his hybrid works that blend traditional materials with digital innovation. His mixed media practice explores the interplay between structure and spontaneity, drawing from the chaos of natural systems to create compositions that are layered, intuitive, and visually dynamic. Panton’s work appeals to collectors who value experimentation, texture, and the philosophical tensions between design and emotion.

A graduate of Capilano College’s Graphic Design & Illustration Program and trained at Emily Carr and the Federation of Canadian Artists in Vancouver, Panton later deepened his fine art exploration at the Art Students League in New York. His early studies focused on classical figure drawing, which evolved into a process-driven practice informed by gestural abstraction, graphic experimentation, and design theory. These influences form the foundation of a uniquely hybrid artistic voice—both rigorous and improvisational.

Working in drawing, digital media, and collage, Panton integrates hand-rendered forms with digital composition, often layering graphite, scanned textures, painted surfaces, and printed elements. His process is playful and research-driven, combining philosophical inquiry with a strong visual sensibility. Inspired by complexity and impermanence in nature, he sees unpredictability not as a limitation but as a space for innovation and creative potential.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, Panton has exhibited in Canada and internationally, earning recognition for his contributions to visual art and education. In 2023, he was inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA)—a significant milestone in a career dedicated to advancing the creative arts. He has also maintained a strong influence as an educator, serving as a professor at OCAD University for over 20 years and as Chair of the First Year Program in the Faculty of Design.