Douglas Higgins earned a BFA in painting from Virginia Commonwealth University, a MAE in Art Education from Rhode Island School of Design, and an MFA in Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. With over 33 years of professional teaching experience, he joined Ringling College of Art and Design in 1991. A native of Sarasota, he has exhibited at major galleries and museums in the United States and he has received several awards from prestigious organizations including the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the American Association of Museums.