Biography

Artist Kārlis Dobrājs was born on February 24, 1943, in Sausnēja parish, Madona region. Dobrājs’ first artistic education was at Janis Rozentāls Riga Art School, and after he graduated in 1961, he followed his studies at the Art Academy of Latvia in the Pedagogy Department. After graduating from the academy in 1970, for the next five years, he connected his life with the Latgale region, where he worked in leading positions at the Daugavpils Local History and Art Museum and was head of the Artists' Union Daugavpils branch. Later his professional activity was related to academic education, where Dobrājs worked as a lecturer at the Art Academy of Latvia in the Department of Art and at the University of Latvia in the Faculty of Pedagogy, where he was the head of the department. In the mid-1990s, he opened his own private drawing and painting studio on Baznīcas Street, Riga.

Kārlis Dobrājs actively participated in the exhibitions after graduating from Janis Rozentāls Riga Art School. Group and solo exhibitions have been organized in many Latvian cities and abroad. He has also gained recognition for his work and was a winner of several art awards and prizes. The name Kārlis Dobrājs is familiar to many art connoisseurs and admirers. The artist’s works are held in both private and public collections, including in museums such as: the Museum of the Latvian Artists’ Union (Riga, Latvia), Daugavpils Museum of Regional History and Art (Daugavpils, Latvia), Krāslava Museum of History and Art (Krāslava, Latvia), the Udmurt Republic Museum of Fine Arts (Udmurt Republic, Russia), the State Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow, Russia), as well as the Kherson Regional Art Museum (Kherson, Ukraine).

Artistic Style

Artists’ creative work is dominated by painting, he has worked in almost all painting genres. The name Kārlis Dobrājs is mostly associated with figural painting, nudes, portraits and still lifes. He felt confident in creating large-format works. He has also focused on the manual graphics technique and has won several awards. He has created monumental wall paintings in public buildings and worked in book illustration. The artistic manner is characterized by an emphasis on academic drawing quality, clear and understandable form, and nuanced use of color. His portraits as well can be described as psychological. Allegory, mythological and religious motives often appear in painting scenes. In some works grotesque images are used, with numbers, fragments of text, and hyperbolized characters with a symbolic meaning.

Interesting Facts

Kārlis Dobrājs communicates with his audience using the social media platform Facebook. He regularly posts his paintings, as well as expresses his opinion on actual events. He has also written autobiographical memoirs and is planning to publish them as a book.

Source of information: Māksla un arhitektūra biogrāfijās. Atbild. red. Andris Vilsons. 1. sēj. A-Kal. – Rīga, Latvijas enciklopēdija, 1995.– P. 124