“Inspiration came from an old corral at a farm near Brookings as well as growing up on the very flat plains of South Dakota. I was the seventh child in a family with nine children. My mother tried to make us aware of our surroundings; this contributed to my need to respond to my environment. My landscape paintings often reflect the beauty of the ever-changing
sky, and my hope is that persons looking at the paintings will then notice the beauty of their surroundings.”
- Doris Symens-Armstrong
- Morning Has Broken, 2014
- Oil paint on canvas
- Framed: 30 x 40 in (76.2 x 101.6 cm)
Doris Symens-Armstrong received a Bachelor of Arts degree in art education from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA. She was responsible for starting the art program for grades 1-12 at the school in George, IA. Doris was influenced by Oscar Howe, the Impressionists, and her creative parents. Her mother would lie in the grass with her children, encouraging them to watch the sky. Doris’ mother also made clay for her children and worked with them to make flowers and animals.
- Current Location: State Capitol Building - Conference Room 414 - 500 E Capitol Ave PIERRE, SD 57501 (google map)
- Collections: Art For State Buildings