Meet Troy Dugas

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Troy Dugas a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Troy, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I’m from a small south Louisiana town and in high school I had dreams of being a fashion designer. I had a wonderful uncle who planned on helping me get to FIT in New York, but sadly he passed away from AIDs and those plans fell away.

I atteneded the University of Southwestern Louisiana hoping to study fashion design, but it was not offered when I was a student. I enrolled in Fashion Merchandising which was short lived because I couldn’t pass accounting. All it took was a drawing class in 1990 that cemented my path to a life pursuing this elusive career and my journey to finding purpose.

I finally made it to New York in 1995 to pursue a masters in fine art at Pratt Institute. Beyond school, the city was incredible to me. Access to galleries and museums was like watching history unfold before my eyes, and in addition to studying and immersing myself in art, I was able to find a job in the fashion industry. It was one of those full circle moments. I worked for several years designing graphics and textile prints for a young boys’ clothes brand. And even more incredible, the last three years I lived in New York I worked as a designer for Nickelodeon Digital Studios for a kids show called “Blues Clues”. I wasn’t making it as a fine artist, but the opportunities that came to me allowed me to live and work in that incredible city right up until 9/11.

I returned home in 2002 and began teaching as an adjunct at the same university I went to. The year I left teaching there, the university implemented a Fashion Design Major, and I taught the very first Illustrator for Fashion course. While making very little money as an adjunct, I became supper focused on making and developing my work.

In 2009 I started working in the public school system in a talented art program and at the same time, became represented by the most prestigious gallery in Louisiana. Those two things continue today to provide purpose, stability, and opportunity in my life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’ve been pursuing art for 30 years and although mediums change over time the influence of art history, design, and textiles have remained consistent.

It’s only in the last 5 years I’ve been exploring fiber art creating large scale tapestries with a variety of rug making techniques. Drawing on the warmth and symbolism of a folk art aesthetic I use hooked fabric and tufted yarn to craft tactile images that feel both timeless and deeply personal. The unexpected relationships in the work reveal to me a powerful tension between an innocent, beautiful naivety and our relationship with nature, mortality, and the ethereal.

I am having a solo exhibit of 7 new tapestries I’ve been developing over the last 3 years at the Arthur Roger Gallery in New Orleans opening August 2, 2025.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Consistency continues to ring true to me. Stay consistent in your work, your relationships, and your habits (the good ones).

Persistence is necessary. There are so many obstacles. You have to keep going.

Patience is difficult, but anything worth pursing takes time.

I find it difficult to give advice to younger artists because things have changed so much in this field. All I can do is what I do as a teacher / mentor, be encouraging and supportive. Everyone’s path will be different.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The work / life balance has always been an issue for me. Working full time and trying to keep an artistic practice afloat, I find myself working a lot.

One thing about getting older is that I think I’m better at letting go a bit. I also focus more on exercise and health which makes everything better, and I also think I’m more productive for it.

I also don’t travel much because I get anxious about having to get work done, but this Summer I’m allowing myself to get away and take a trip.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.troydugas.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troy.dugas/

Image Credits

photos Mike Smith, Travis Gauthier, Rox Grover