‘Visionary’ WSU Tri-Cities professor left his mark on art world, students and friends
Douglas Gast left his mark on the Tri-Cities art scene.
The WSU Tri-Cities Fine Arts associate professor and director of the Digital Technology and Culture Program, died Aug. 2 at home after battling cancer. He was remembered as an influential mentor, who cared deeply about his students, family and the arts.
The 46-year-old artist had work featured in Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia and New York City, but he told the Herald in 2018 that the Tri-Cities was a good fit for him.
“It’s a great community — the perfect size,” he said at the time. “It’s experiencing growth, something that means possibility.”
He started at WSU Tri-Cities in 2005 as an associate professor of fine arts where he helped students refine their skills, helped connect them with internships and inspired them to dream big, according to a WSU Tri-Cities article.
Squeak Meisel, the chair and associate professor of fine arts for the WSU system, said Gast challenged the status quo and cared deeply about his students.
“This started the day he decided to move to Tri-Cities as a long fine arts faculty member,” he said. “It was a brave and noble act. He will be dearly missed.”
A former student and graphic designer Monique Van Sant felt Gast’s impact in her own career, she said. He made her want to be a better designer and a better person.
“Doug wasn’t just a professor,” she said. “He was an artist, a mentor, a visionary, an activist and a friend. I owe my career as a multimedia designer to Doug.”
In his work as a professor, he also curated and hosted several shows through the WSU Tri-Cities Art Center that brought hundreds of visitors through his years.
Daughters of Hanford
Along with his work at WSU Tri-Cities, he worked to support art throughout the area. He was a member of the Kennewick and Richland arts commissions, and served as a judge and a panel member on numerous arts projects.
His projects included videos, films, images, websites, sculptures performances, books and installations.
He participated in the Daughters of Hanford project at the REACH Interpretive Center and his artwork was featured in galleries across the area.
“Doug made everything better — as an artist, collaborator and friend,” said Kai-Huei Yau, a photographer for the Daughters of Hanford, and former Herald photographer. “His work to elevate the arts within the Tri-Cities impacted so many lives and having him on the Daughters of Hanford team helped us elevate the project. I’ll forever count myself lucky as one of the people who came into his orbit and he will be sorely missed.”
Most recently he participated in the Spectra Art Gallery’s Pandemic, A Novel Art Show, which was shown through Facebook.
He also took time to read, “Pooh’s Very Hot Summer Day,” as part of a series of videos called Super Coug Readers, where adults read children’s books.
He leaves behind a wife and stepchildren and grandchildren.
People can see more of his art at his website, noprogram.org, and donations can be made to the Douglas P. Gast Scholarship and Travel Fund through foundation.wsu.edu/give.