Douglas Utter (b.1950)

Douglas Max Utter's figurative canvases continue the traditions of Western depiction, but with a change in focus. Over the past two decades the subjects of his works have been either iconographic or deeply personal. In general, they explore the overlap between the metaphors of religion and poetic art, the conventions of realistic paintings, and the experience of his own family life. Often working with unconventional paint media like latex house paint, spray paint or various asphalt commercial substances, his portraits of family members and close friends often refer to Christian or neo-classical concerns. For Utter, these contextual shifts are a jumping off point for painterly meditations about the integration of tactile and psychological experience, in terms of the realities of the contemporary world. Utter's work has been shown in more than 100 exhibitions, including 20 one person shows in Cleveland , Augsberg , Germany , New York , Phoenix and Los Angeles . He has received Ohio Arts Council Fellowships in Painting and Art Criticism. Essays and reviews have appeared in six publications. He is senior editor of Angle, a non profit journal of arts and culture.