Duwayne was born in Bakersfield, CA and learned the basics of drawing at an early age from his father. In college, he studied technical illustration, but in his twenties, he found a love of oil painting. Much of the attention to detail required in his illustration training has been transferred to his paintings. Without formal art classes, and learning by trial and error, he eventually discovered he wanted to paint realistic pictures of the best of America. He brings to life traditional landscapes, stately victorian houses, small-town scenes, historical California missions, and classic aviation art. His painting capture the essence of realism, as well as featuring bold and vivid colors, resulting in an 'Imagined Realism'. Uplifting, colorful and emotional are some of the descriptions of his works.
Today, he and his wife Nancy live in Santa Clarita, CA, and is a current member and former president of the Santa Clarita Valley Artists' Association, as well as a member of the Santa Paula Artists Association. His works are in several private collections.
In addition to being an accomplished oil painter, Duwayne has also devoted his life to a military career, having served in the Army for over 40 years as a former member of an elite Airborne Ranger unit, and as a helicopter pilot flying UH-1 Hueys and UH-60 Blackhawks. He served two combat tours in Iraq and Kuwait, and has written several books about his military experiences, as well as other subjects.