In July, HEDGE features Family Life and Other Fancies (Paintings Then and Now), a collective of recent paintings, drawings and prints by Douglas Max Utter, paired with other selections of Utter’s works that date back to 1980 - 2000. His subject matter continues to consist of portraits, memories from childhood, still lifes and urban scenes, and we will be digging into the archives to choose works that share a common narrative, even if 30 years separate them. 

Sharing stories seems to consume most of the studio visits I have with Doug Utter, while excitedly sifting through stacks of work that manifest themselves like full-color journal entries.

Utter’s artwork comes from a place of raw emotion, or lately, illustrates ethereal images from Cleveland neighborhoods. Whether he is portraying the figure, a bouquet of flowers or an abandoned storefront, unadulterated color and an extensive combination of materials have always permeated his work.