Winter Thaw – Routes Through the Landscape

Thick Black vertical smear with yellow on a cream background

Doug DeWitt

Artist Statement

My abstract found-object constructions, drawings, land art, painting and other media are inspired by immersions in landscape, by the colors and textures of weathered materials, and by changes occurring over time. My work presents nature without denying the intrusions of humanity while evoking memories of specific places and times in the landscape.

Bio

Doug DeWitt is a Chicago-area artist and ecologist whose found-object sculptures, drawings, environmental land art and video are inspired by natural history and Midwest landscapes. Originally from northwestern Ohio, DeWitt spent many childhood hours exploring his grandparents’ farm buildings and catching crawdads in the creek near his home. He received a BFA in graphic design from Bowling Green State University in 1985, then moved to New England to experience the coastal landscape while working in Boston. Returning to the Midwest, DeWitt earned an MA in Studio Arts from Illinois State University in 1990. He designed exhibits featuring natural history, wildlife and anthropology at the Field Museum of Natural History and John G. Shedd Aquarium, both in Chicago, where his love of nature, science and history merged with his art. DeWitt exhibits his artwork throughout the Chicago region and has shown in New York and South Korea. He is currently an ecologist and land manager with Tallgrass Restoration, LLC, a private firm that restores native prairies, woodlands and wetlands, a profession that continues to inspire his art.

March 3rd – April 22nd