Background
Ohlson was born on November 18, 1936, in Cherokee, Iowa and attended Bethel College before serving in the United States Marine Corps.
Arden Hills, Minnesota, United States
Doug Ohlson was the student of Bethel College (now Bethel University).
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Ohlson studied at the University of Minnesota, where he received a degree in studio art in 1961.
New York City, New York, United States
Doug Ohlson studied at Hunter College under the supervision of abstract sculptor Tony Smith.
Ohlson was born on November 18, 1936, in Cherokee, Iowa and attended Bethel College before serving in the United States Marine Corps.
After completing his military service, he attended the University of Minnesota, where he was awarded a degree in studio art in 1961. He moved to New York City, where he studied at Hunter College under abstract sculptor Tony Smith, but dropped out when he could no longer afford tuition.
He worked as an assistant to Smith and started teaching at Hunter College in 1964. Ohlson"s early work was included in an exhibit organized by art historian East. C. Goossen at the Hudson River Museum titled "8 Young Artists" in 1964, and had a solo show that year at the Fischbach Gallery, the first of seven at that location. Goossen also included work by Ohlson in the 1968 exhibition "The Art of the Real: 1948-1968" at the Museum of Modern Art which focused on the development and history of geometric art in the United States.
Sharply defined and repeated geometric shapes were characteristic of his earliest painting, that were described by Goossen as depicting "yellowish pink and green dawns, blue noons, and red-orange sunsets that swiftly slide from purple to black", hypothesizing that Ohlson"s experience growing up and working long days on the family"s farm gave him a unique passion for color.
Ohlson was recognized with a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1968. His later work was displayed in numerous solo exhibitions at the Andre Zarre Gallery, in addition to surveys of his work at Bennington College and at Hunter College, where he taught for 35 years.
Ohlson died at age 73 on June 29, 2010, after a fall in front of his Manhattan apartment.
Black and White Form
Mana
Slip
Avery
China Series A, "Flamingo"
Interim
Ujpest
Scale of Darkness
Companion
Two-Four
Harlequin
Monsignor
New Mexico
Untitled
Mag
Marker California
Peep Show
Paris Green
Lost Twin (One)
Stop Gap
Wink
Untitled
Sevastipol
Capriglia
50/50
Adrian
Little Brothers
Mi
Double Down
Raven
Beatrice
Served with United States Marine Corps, 1955-1958.