Like most people, Collin Douma started drawing as soon as he could lift a crayon—but he never stopped. By 18, he was a nationally recognized animator, winning two national film festivals and earning a place in the National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection. After graduating from Algonquin College with a degree in traditional animation, Collin illustrated children’s storybooks and animated digital content. He later transitioned into the digital advertising world, working as an Art Director and eventually as a Group Creative Director at McCann in Toronto.

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Throughout his career, Collin continued creating and exhibiting his work. As a member of the Five Lovely Guys collective—more than five, and not all guys—he collaborated with the Toronto area artists, exhibited in group shows, and cultivated a shared creative spirit and more than one pint of Guinness. In 2010, he moved to New York, where he stopped selling his creativity to the ad world. He put it into an evolving practice, more conceptual work, larger ongoing projects, and art community development. Collin’s work examines social issues, cosmic metaphors, and the tension of juxtaposition. He seeks to uncover moments of clarity and connection in a fragmented world. Through his art, he invites viewers to feel connected to something larger—to see meaning where chaos often reigns.