Artist CV

(b 1971US. Lives and works in Philadelphia)

Over the course of the past two decades, Witmer has steadily pursued a personal inquiry into the materiality of the painted object, refining his processes to a set of consciously chosen direct and economical actions. In his recent work, Witmer applies paint in watercolour-thin layers. The highly fluid nature of this painting process sets up dynamics of control and release. Witmer aims to coax a wide range of emotional results from his basic approaches. “I see my work as offering a clear alternative in a visual culture dominated by speed, layering, and complexity. I do not believe my work requires any prerequisite knowledge…My hope is that it can activate the sense that you simply feel yourself seeing. I like to think of that kind of moment as clear, pure, innocent and solitary.” 

2021

Selected Drawings and Paintings, Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne 

2020

Recent Paintings, Gray Contemporary, Houston 

2017

Dubh Glas, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia 

2016

Verse and Chorus, Gray Contemporary, Houston

Naranja, boeckercontemporary, Heidelberg 

2015

fourpart, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia

Recent Paintings, Alumni Gallery, The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia 

2013

All Kinds of Ways to Your Garden, Blank Space Art, New York

School Papers, NIAD Art Center, Richmond 

2011

I Found A Reason, Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, Winter Park, (catalogue) 

Fruitville / The School Papers, AxD Gallery, Philadelphia 

2010

Ring the Bells Anew, Blank Space Art, New York

Fruitville, Some Walls, Oakland; 

2009

Field + Stream, Project Room, The Painting Center, New York

Joseph’s Coat, The Philadelphia Cathedral

Joseph’s Coat, Howard Conn Fine Arts Center, Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis 

2008

Today is the Day, M55 Art, Long Island City 

2006

The Black Keys, and Other Paintings, Gallery Siano, Philadelphia

Contemplation, Red Door Gallery, Richmond 

2002

New Paintings, Peng Gallery, Philadelphia

Douglas Witmer, Goshen College, Goshen 

1997

Recent Paintings, University City Arts League, Philadelphia

Recent Paintings, University of Montana―Western, Dillon 

2020

New Positions, Galerie Mathias Mayr, Innsbruck

Twenty One, Gray Contemporary, Houston

Carte Blanche, Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne

MNMLSM II, Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne 

2019

Big Circle, curated by divisible, M17 Contemporary Art, Kiev

New Modern--The Road Paintings, curated by Billy Gruner, Five Walls, Footscra

Small World, Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne

Breathe, curated by Arvid Boecker, Museum St. Wendel, St. Wendel, Germany In The Stillness, Freud Monk Gallery (online) 

2018

Bevel, works by Brett Baker, Casey Matthews, and Douglas Witmer, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia

Into The Light, exhibition to benefit the Rail Park Philadelphia, curated by Bridgette Mayer, Philadelphia

MNMLSM, Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne

Irregular Symmetry of Pattern, Wright Gallery, Northport

Focus exhibition, Gebert Contemporary, Santa Fe

More or Less, Hemphill Fine Arts, Washington DC

Bodies of a Different Mass, Tiger Strikes Asteroid Los Angeles

Beyond Black and White, Westbeth Gallery, New York Juxtapositions, Galerie Biesenbach, Cologne 

2017

Project Room, Gray Contemporary, Houston Gallery artists, Gebert Contemporary, Santa Fe 

Almost Black and White, The Curator Gallery, New York Cities Like Dreams, Swamps Where Cedars Grow, The Provincial, Chief 

Combined, Gray Contemporary, Houston Better Late Than Ugly, oqbo--raum für bild wort ton, Berlin, Germany 

2016

Alan Alldredge, Lisa Weiss, and Douglas Witmer, Aberson Exhibits, Tulsa

Fiction (with Only Daylight Between Us), Divisible, Dayton; Traveled to boeckercontemporary, Heidelberg

Opaque Transparency—Leiden edition, IS Projects, Leiden, The Netherlands Rien à voir, curated by Jonathan F. Walz, Institute for American Art, Portland ME Look Both Ways, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia  Lost in Transit, SOIL, Seattle

Opaque Transparency—Paris edition, Le Pavé d'Orsay, Paris, France Spring Exhibitions—the permanent collection, The Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, NE 

2015

Bag Check—A Tiger Strikes Asteroid project for “Artist Run,” Satellite Art Fair, Miami

Tiger Strikes Asteroid at The Payne Gallery, Payne Gallery, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA Opaque Transparency, Look & Listen, Saint-Chamas

Therely Bare (Redux), Zeitgeist Gallery, Nashville

Linear Function – Alex Mayer, Nick Primo and Douglas Witmer, Hemphill Fine Arts / Carroll Square Gallery, Washington DC 

2014

DEPENDENCIA inDEPENDENCIA, Galeria Sol del Rio, Guatemala City

Tiger Strikes Asteroid at Emerge Art Fair, Washington DC

Aloe Vera, Gray Contemporary, Houston

Summer Benefit Invitational, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia

To Tiger with Love, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia

Should I Stay or Should I Go?, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia Mark Wethli and Douglas Witmer, ICON Contemporary Art, Brunswick

Off Line On Mark – Alain Biltereyst, Katrin Bremermann, Erin Lawlor, Lael Marshall, Don Voisine, Michael Voss, and Douglas Witmer, Parallel Art Space, Ridgewood 

2013

Geometry as Sign, works by Timothy App & Douglas Witmer, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia

A Random Walk, curated by Robert Solomon, Rowan University Gallery, Glassboro

Manic Episode 4, T.A.S. (Temporary Art Space), Groninge

 Chorus Effect, curated by Tabitha Piseno, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia

Porquois Pas...?/Why Not...?, international biennial of non-objective art, curated by Roland Orépük, Pont de Claix, France (catalogue)

Light Conversation, Key Projects, Ridgewood, New York Correspondence II, TSA, Brooklyn

Tiger Strikes Art Museum, artists intervene with the collection, The Philadelphia Museum of Art

BalletX Benefit Invitational, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia

Signs and Systems, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia Reason and Romance, 6b Gallery, Elingen, Belgium

What I Like About You, organized by Julie Torres, Parallel Art Space, Brooklyn

Winter Down, curated by Ryan McCartney and Timothy Belknap, The Icebox, Philadelphia

Surface as Signifier, University of Delaware Gallery at Crane Arts, Philadelphia

Never Underestimate a Monochrome, Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art, Chaffey College, Rancho Cucamonga 

2012

The Subjective Object—Louise Blyton, Roland Orépük & Douglas Witmer, ParisCONCRET, Paris

Surface as Signifier, Marlin Gallery, Camden County College, Blackwood

Manic Episode 3, Kunstlerhaus Dosenfabrik, Hamburg

Never Underestimate a Monochrome, on-line curatorial project organized by Mariangeles Soto-Diaz for the University of Iowa Museum of Art

Douglas Witmer and Peter Zeebley, Studio: Christensen, Philadelphia 

West Philly Abstraction, University City Arts League, Philadelphia

Crystal Days (with Timothy Buckwalter & Michael Macfeat), Sugar, Philadelphia  

2011

Flirting With Abstraction, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia (catalogue)

Painted, Printed, Pressed, C2 Fine Art, St. Petersburg

Faction, University of Dayton

The Life of the World to Come : Chase the Tear, NIAD Art Center, Richmond CA

Streamline, C2 Fine Art, St. Petersburg

It's All Good (Apocalypse Now!), Sideshow Gallery, Brooklyn 

2010

Informal Relations, Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, IN

Escape from New York, The Engine Room, Massey University, Wellington

Invitational Exhibition of Small Works, New Arts Program, Kutztown

Ready, Willing, and Able Benefit, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia 

2009

Preview 2010, Blank Space Gallery, New York

I Decree Today, Marx Gallery,  Covington

Touch Faith, Semantics, Cincinnati

246 Editions, Pocket Utopia, Brooklyn

Back on My Feet Benefit, Bridgette Mayer Gallery, Philadelphia

My Certain Fate, Pharmaka, Los Angeles

Escape from New York, Project Space Spare Room, RMIT University, Melbourne 

2008

Minus Space, P.S.1/MoMA, New York

Reload, M55 Art, Long Island City

Considerable, University of Dayton, OH 

2007

Escape from New York, Sydney Non-Objective, Sydney

Survey, 2007, Gallery Siano, Philadelphia

Across the Borderline, University of Dayton, OH.  (2-person, collaborative works with Chris Ashley)

I Walk the Line―Three Abstract Artists in the 21st Century, University of Maryland, College Park (with Mary Early and Linn Meyers) 

2006

Suitcase, Bus-Dori project space, Tokyo  

2005

Pfenninger Gallery, Lancaster, PA

The Urban Canvas, Gallery Siano, Philadelphia 

2004 

From the Studio, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia

Repetition and Transformation, The Philadelphia Cathedral 

2003

Peng Gallery, Philadelphia. (3-person with Dennis Lo and Leslie Wagner) 

2002

New Talent, Signal 66, Washington

White Light, The Beehive Salon, Philadelphia

From Abstraction to Representation, The College of William & Mary, Williamsburg 

2001

3rd Annual Young Painters Competition for the William and Dorothy Yeck Award, 

   Miami University of Ohio, Oxford

Art in City Hall, Philadelphia City Hall, Philadelphia 

2020

Witmer, Douglas, “Plain and Beautiful: a younger artist considers Warren Rohrer,” Field Language: The Painting and Poetry of Warren and Jane Rohrer, ed. Julia Kasdorf and Christopher Reed, The Palmer Art Museum: Pennsylvania State University Press

Redekop, Magdelene, “Making Believe: Questions about Mennonites and Art,” University of Manitoba Press 

2019

Fox, Adam Reid, interview with Douglas Witmer in conjunction with the online exhibition “In The Stillness,” Freud Monk Gallery 

2018

Capps, Kriston, “At Hemphill Fine Arts, The Past, Present, and Future of Abstraction,” Washington City

Jenkins, Mark, “In the Galleries: Art that Thrives in Natural Light,” Washington Post

Wirth, Hedrun, “Triumph der Einfachheit--Abstrakte Kunst in eine Gruppenschau bei Biesenbach,”, Kölnische Rundschau, July 17 (print only) 

2017

Huff Hunter, Becky, “Douglas Witmer's Simplicity,” Two Coats of Paint, March 2 Fallon, Roberta, podcast interview

“Douglas Witmer's world,” The Artblog, March 4 

Zinn, Tamar, “Almost Black and White at The Curator Gallery,” Tamar Zinn blog, October 12 

2016

Witmer, Douglas, “Bedrock: group interview with Rachel Klinghoffer, Adam Lovitz, and Robert Straight,” published on the occasion of the exhibition of the same title, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, Philadelphia

Witmer, Douglas, “Ten Years of the School Papers,” hardcover catalogue.  Douglas Witmer studio, Phila 

2015

Farley, Michael, “Who Wore it Better? ABMB Edition,” Art F City, December 2 

Gat, Yifat, “The Black and White Project—a Survey of Contemporary Black and White Paintings,” with an essay by David Rhodes, Look & Listen press, France, July 

Jenkins, Mark, “In The Galleries—Line and Function Intersect,” The Washington Post, April 10 Singer, Matthew, “In Other Words: The Spirit of Fraktur in Modern and Contemporary Art,” Framing Fraktur, ed. Judith Tannenbaum, Philadelphia: The Free Library of Philadelphia / University of Pennsylvania Press 

2014

Panero, James, “Gallery Chronicle,” The New Criterion, June

Raymond, David, “Mark Wethli and Douglas Witmer at ICON Contemporary Art,” Art New England, June/July 

Tommaney, Jim J., “Gray Contemporary Hosts A Bright Colorful Show with Aloe Vera, “Houston Press,” August 18 

2013

Alexander, Steven, “Douglas Witmer at Blank Space,” Steven Alexander Journal  

Brennan, Valerie, “Douglas Witmer” (interview), Studio Critical, Feb 25

Fabbri, Anne R., “The Medium is the Message,” Broad Street Review, March 2 

Mattera, Joanne, “Painting in Chelsea,” Joanne Mattera Art Blog, March 3

Newhall, Edith, “Galleries : August Abstraction,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 26

Newhouse, Sam, “Chase the Dog Days Away—A Summer Themed Show at Tiger Strikes Asteroid,” The ArtBlog, August 19, Schwartz, Chip, “Little Barnes on the Prairie—Winter Down's Jewelbox Salon at the Crane's Icebox,” The Artblog, January 13

Schwartz, Chip, “Six Artists with Summery Abstraction at Tiger Strikes Asteroid,” Knight Arts Blog, August 8 

2012

Rosof, Libby, “Douglas Witmer on art and modesty” (interview), The Artblog, June 1 

Mason-Gaines, Joel and Megan Matuzak, “University City: Making Space for the Arts,” Philadelphia, Neighborhoods, April 30

Rosenthal, James, “Crystal Days at Sugar,” Pocket Intellectual, March 13

Rosof, Libby, “West Philadelphia Looking is Good,” The ArtBlog, March 22

Sexton, Courtney, “Pop-up Art, Palpable Connections, and Papermade Fabulousness,” City Paper : Critical Mass March 9 

2011

Ashley, Chris, “A Way to Be in the World,” catalogue essay for I Found A Reason, Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College, July

Cognard-Black, Jennifer, “Streamline,” essay for exhibition of the same title, C2 Fine Art, St. Petersburg

D’Alesandro, Dennis, “Douglas Witmer’s Fruitville and School Papers at AxD,” The Artblog, Mar 15

Young, Jessica Bryce, “Pulp Fictions—Douglas Witmer’s meditative works on wood and paper,” Orlando Weekly,  August 18 

2010

Ashley, Chris, “Fruitville,” essay for exhibition of the same title, Some Walls, Oakland CA, June

Gierschick, P. Timothy, “Douglas Witmer at Blank Space Gallery,” Gierschickwork, March 16 

2009

Kirsch, Andrea, “Philadelphia Notes: Contemplative Minimalism” The ArtBlog, http://theartblog.org, February 9

Mattera, Joanne, “Witmer and Patterson at The Painting Center,” Joanne Mattera Art Blog, June 17 

2008

Hallard, Brent, “How Soon is Now?,” interview, Visual Discrepancies blog, December 5 

2007

Collaizi, Vittorio, “A Vigilant Turn from Complacency,” Brick Weekly, Richmond VA, January 11

Koo, Li, “Gallery Notes: I Walk the Line,” podcast interview, University of Maryland, March

Newhall, Edith, “Summery Summary,” The Philadelphia Inquirer,” August 3

Wagner, Laura, "'Art Pals' Feature Works in Rike," Dayton Flyer News, January 19 

2006

Strickland, Heather, “Eclecticism on Display at Red Door Gallery, The Collegian, University of Richmond, December 7 

2005

Ashley, Chris, “In Conversation with Douglas Witmer,” Minus Space, Brooklyn; December 

Hallard, Brent, “X Marks the Spot,” Project 131 (on-line), July 2005 

Hill, Lori, “First Friday Focus: Gallery Siano,” Philadelphia City Paper, Thursday, October 6

Holzman, Paula, “Two Takes on the Abstract,” Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, October 21 Romaniello, Vincent, “Douglas Witmer,” on-line video documentary; Silverthorne, Alexandra, “Artists Interview Artists,” Thinking About Art (on-line), August. 

2004

Doering, Elizabeth H., “Repetition and Transformation,” essay for exhibition of the same title, The Philadelphia Cathedral, January

Fallon, Roberta, “A-List: Repetition and Transformation,” Philadelphia Weekly,” January 21 

2002

Hill, Lori, “First Friday Focus: Peng Gallery,” Philadelphia City Paper, Thursday, April 4  

Patterson, Carrie, “From Abstraction to Representation,” exhibition catalogue essay for  exhibition of the

same title, Andrews Gallery, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, November

Walz, Jonathan F., “Reality Check,” exhibition brochure essay, Peng Gallery, Philadelphia, PA, April 

2001

Knapp, Tom, “Uncommon Ground,” Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, August 3 

The Columbus Museum, Columbus, GA 

Sheldon Museum of American Art, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 

The Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia 

The Columbus Museum, Columbus GA 

The Fellowship of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia 

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 

The City of Philadelphia 

Duane Morris, LLP, Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Atlanta, Lake Tahoe, San Diego,  

Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City 

Wolf, Block, Schorr, and Solis-Cohen, LLP, Philadelphia  

NanoSystems, King of Prussia, PA 

Private collections worldwide 

2001

M.F.A., The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia 

1993

B.A., Goshen College, Indiana