Doug Ohlson began his education in a number of small colleges, and a three year period in the U.S. Marines before graduating from the University of Minnesota with a B.A. in fine art. That same year, Ohlson moved to New York and was fortunate to interact with artists such as Robert Motherwell, Lee Krasner, and Barnett Newman while attending Hunter College where he eventually became a full time professor.

Ohlson’s formal ‘color field’ works reflect an elemental artistic vocabulary. The use of shape, scale, and line each convey a separate feeling, while simultaneously implying fundamental color theory. Much like other artists of the post war era, Ohlson’s works require an involvement by his viewers. Bold blocks of color juxtaposed with painterly strokes, and unexpected linear elements create a dialogue between the surface of his paintings and their visual depth. Apparent in each decade present in this exhibition, is a timeline of development in Ohlson’s work. The artist’s early career, dominated by boldly saturated color, progressed into translucent and opaque hues with more definite evidence of Ohlson’s hand. Most recently, the focus has turned to narrow bars of color abruptly placed throughout the canvas, as the artist says to “throw in a little wrench.”

Doug Ohlson’s works have continued to appear in exhibitions organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, the National Gallery of Art, D.C., and The Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as numerous established galleries, since his initial group exhibition at the Minnesota Institute of Arts. Ohlson has also received prodigious awards including a National Endowment of the Arts Grant and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship.

Solo Exhibitions:

1964
"Paintings", Fischbach Gallery, New York City
 
1966
Fischbach Gallery, New York City 
 
1967
Fischbach Gallery, New York City
 
1968
"New Paintings", Fischbach Gallery, New York City 
 
1969
"New Paintings", Fischbach Gallery, New York City 
 
1970
The Florence Wilcox Gallery, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
"New Paintings", Fischbach Gallery, New York City
 
1972
"New Paintings", Fischbach Gallery, New York City
 
1974
Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City 
 
1976
Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City
 
1977
"Paintings 1964-77", Nell Gifford Stern, New York City
"Recent Paintings", Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City
"Recent Paintings", Portland Center for the Visual Arts, Portland, Oregon
 
1979
Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City
 
1981
Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City   
 
1982
Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City         
"Doug Ohlson at Bennington: Two Decades, 1962-1982", Suzanne Lemberg Usdan Gallery, Bennington College, 
Bennington, Vermont; curated by E.C. Goossen
 
1983
"Paintings", Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City 
 
1985
"Works on Paper, 1980-1985", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
"Paintings, 1984 - 1985", Ruth Siegel Ltd, New York City
 
1986
Galerie 99, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida 
"Paintings", Nina Freudenheim Gallery, Buffalo, New York
 
1987
"Four Painters in New York - Four Solo Exhibitions: Leon Polk Smith, Doug Ohlson, Katherine Porter, Willy Heeks"; Ruth Siegel Ltd., New York City
 
1989
"New Paintings", Ann Jaffe Gallery, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida
 
1990
"New Paintings", Jaffe Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida 
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
1992
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
Recent Paintings, Marsh Gallery, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA; Curated by Richard Waller
 
1993
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City 
 
1995
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City 
 
2000 Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
2002
"20 Years of Painting", Hunter College / Times Square Gallery, New York City
 
2003
"Paintings", Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida 
 
2004
"Recent Paintings and Works on Paper", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City

Selected Group Exhibitions:

1961
"The  Second Minnesota Biennial", The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, Minnesota; travelled to 

The Rochester Art Center, Winona State College, and St. John's University (all in Minnesota); juried by Hilton Kramer
 
1964
"Directions 1964", Vassar College Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie, New York; curated by Linda Nochlin

"Museum Purchase Fund Collection", a travelling exhibition organized by American Federation of Arts, New York City; installed at State University College, Potsdam, New York; travelled  through July 1972

"8 Young Artists", The Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, New York; travelled to Bennington College, Bennington Vermont; with Carl Andre, Walter Darby Bannard, Robert Barry, Robert Huot, Patricia Johanson, Antoni Milkowski, and Terrence Syverson; curated by E. C. Goossen
 
"Hard/Op", Daniels Gallery, New York City; curated by David Herbert
 
1965
"A Spring Festival of Contemporary Painting", Andrew Dickson White Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York; curated by Inez Garson
 
1967
"Art Festival", presented by Galerie Muller, Stuttgart in Cologne 

"Color, Image and Form", The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan; curated by Gene Baro
 
"Rejective Art", a travelling exhibition curated by Lucy Lippard and organized by American Federation of Arts: installed at University of Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, and at two other institutions
 
1968
"Listening to Pictures", The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York; an installation during 1968; organized by Arlene Jacobowitz
 
"The Art Of The Real, USA 1948 - 1968", The Museum of Modern Art, New York City travelled to Kunsthaus Zurich, 1969; Tate Gallery, 1969; GrandPalais, Paris, 1969; curated by E.C. Goossen
 
"The Pure and Clear: American Innovations", Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; curated by Mrs. H. Gates Lloyd, Mrs. Bayard T. Storey, and Ms. Anne d'Harnoncourt
 
"The Weatherspoon Annual Exhibition/Art On Paper 1968", Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina, Greensboro;  works selected by Gilbert F. Carpenter
 
1969
"A Collector's Choice, A Sales Exhibition to Benefit The City Art Museum of St. Louis", The City Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
 
"Concept", Vassar College Art Gallery, Poughkeepsie, New York
 
"Highlights of the 1968 - 1969 Art Season", The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut
 
"American Painting; the 1960's", a travelling exhibition selected by Samuel Adams Green and co-sponsored by Georgia Museum of Art, The University of Georgia,  Athens and American Federation of Arts, New York City
 
"Prospect 69", Stadtische Kunsthalle Dusseldorf; organized by Konrad Fischer and Hans Strelow
 
"One Man's Choice", Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas; selected by Merrill C. Rueppel
 
"1969 Annual Exhibition, Contemporary American Painting", Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
              
1970
"Painting & Sculpture Today", Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
 
"Modular Painting, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York; curated by Robert Murdock
 
"American Art Since 1960", The Art Museum, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey; organized by Sam Hunter
 
1971
"The Structure of Color", Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City; curated by Marcia Tucker
 
"Highlights of the 1970-1971 Art Season", The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut
               
1972
"Inside Philadelphia, Selections from Private Collections", Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
 
1973
"The Way of Color, Thirty-third Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary American Painting", The Corcoran Gallery of Art, 
 Washington, D.C.; works selected by Gene Baro
 
"Abstract Painters", Fischbach Gallery, New York City
 
"Doug Ohlson, Ray Parker, Ulfert Wilke", Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City
              
1974
"Inaugural Exhibition", Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City; with Jake Berthot, James Bishop, Vincent Longo, Brice Marden, David Novros, Robert Swain, and Sanford Wurmfeld; (this was the inaugural exhibition of the gallery's SoHo space)
 
"Seven New York Artists", Nielson Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts; with Frances Barth, Jake Berthot, Gerald Horn, Harvey Quaytman, David Reed, and Paul Rotterdam
 
"3 Painters from Iowa Living in New York: Kyle Morris, Doug Ohlson, Ray Parker", The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City, Iowa; curated by Ulfert Wilke
 
1975
"Fourteen Abstract Painters", Frederick S. Wight Art Gallery, University of California, Los Angeles; organized by Gerald Nordland
 
"Unique Works on Paper, An exhibition of drawings", van Straaten Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
              
1976
"Contemporary Paintings: A Review of the New York Gallery Season, 1974-75", Joe and Emily Lowe Art Gallery, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York curated by Stanton Catlin
 
"24 x 24", Sarah Lawrence College Gallery, Bronxville, New York; curated by Garry Rich 
 
"Rooms P.S. 1",  The Insitiute for Art and Urban Resources, Inc. Project Studies One, Long Island City, New York
 
"Project Rebuild: An exhibition to aid earthquake damaged Udine", Grey Art Gallery and Study Center, New York University, New York City; organized by Thomas B. Hess
 
1977
"Alternatives, Significant painting and sculpture of the 60's", Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City; works selected by Gene Baro
 
"Collection In Progress, 200 or so selections from the collection of Milton Brutten and Helen Herrick", Moore College of Art Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 
"The Geometry of Color", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
              
1979
"Generation: Twenty Abstract Painters Born In The United States Between 1929 And 1946", Susan Caldwell Inc., New York City; with Jo Baer, Frances Barth, Jake Berthot, Jerry Buchanan, William Conlon, Stuart Diamond, Porfirio DiDonna, Ron Gorchov, Tom Holland, Ralph Humphrey Robert Mangold, Brice Marden, Elizabeth Murray, Katherine Porter, Robert Ryman, Joan Snyder, Frank Stella, Robert Swain, and Joan Thorne; organized by Michael Walls
 
"The Implicit Image: Abstraction in the 70's", Nielson Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts
 
"24 x 24", Max Hutchinson Gallery, New York City
 
"Transitions I, An exhibition about the process of change", Amelie A. Wallace Gallery, State University of New York, College at Old Westbury; with Adrienne Bordes, Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe, and Robert Mangold; organized by Harriet Senie 
 
1980
"Arte Americana Contemporanea", Civici Musei e Gallerie di Storia e Arte, Udine, Italy
 
1981
"Dark Thoughts: Black Paintings", Pratt Manhattan Center Gallery, New York City; also installed at Pratt Institute Gallery,  Brooklyn, New York; curated by Ellen Schwartz
 
1983
"Abstract Painting: 1960-69", The Institute for Art and Urban Resources, Inc., Project Studios One, Long Island City, New York; with Joe Baer, James Bishop, Sally Hazelet Drummond, Marcia Hafif, Al Held, Ralph Humphrey, Will Insley, Lee Lozano, Robert Mangold, Brice Marden, Agnes Martin, David Novros, Robert Ryman, and Tony Smith; curated by Donald Droll and Jane Necol 
 
1984
"24 x 24 x 24, An invitational exhibition", Ruth Siegel Ltd, New York City; curated by Ruth Siegel
 
1985
"Bilder fur Frankfurt", Museum fur Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Federal Republic of Germany
 
"The Severe and the Romantic: Geometric Humanism in American Painting, the 1950's and the 1980's", Marilyn Pearl Gallery, New York City
 
1986
"Harvest", Ruth Siegel Ltd, New York City
 
"Drawings", Nina Freudenheim Gallery, Buffalo, New York
 
"The Homecoming: An exhibition of work by Iowa-born artists", Gallery of Art, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls; (touring to Des Moines Art Center and other Iowa museums through September 1987) 
 
"Square and . . .", Ruth Siegel Ltd, New York City
 
"Ten Artists", Ruth Siegel Ltd at The International Contemporary Art Fair, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California
 
1987
"Review / Preview", Ruth Siegel Ltd, New York City
 
"Color Now", 55 Mercer Street, New York City
              
1988
"Four Painters: Doug Ohlson, Frances Barth, Michael Boyd, Elena Bornstein", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"The Christmas Exhibition", Michael Walls Gallery, New York City
 
"More Than Color", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"20th Anniversary Group Exhibition", Paula Cooper Gallery, New York City
              
1989
"A Debate on Abstraction: The Persistence of Painting", The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Art Gallery, Hunter College, New York City
 
"Small Paintings", Nina Freudenheim Gallery, Buffalo, New York
 
"Second Anniversary Exhibition", Michael Walls Gallery, New York City
 
"Autumn on West Broadway", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"25th Anniversary Exhibition", Ann Jaffe Gallery, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida
              
1990
"New Yorkers and Outsiders", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
            
1991
"8 Young Artists, Then (1964) & Now (1991)", The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Art Gallery, Hunter College, New York City: with Carl Andre, Walter Darby Bannard, Robert Barry, Robert Huot, Patricia Johanson, Antoni Milkowski, Douglas Ohlson, Terrence Syverson; curated by E.C. Goossen
 
"Amerikansk Kunst Efter 1960", Gl. Holtegaard, Copenhagen, Denmark
 
"Confluences", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
              
1992
"27th Anniversary Group Exhibition", Ann Jaffe Gallery, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida
 
"Invitational Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture", American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, New York City
 
"1X7", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"Four Abstract Painters, Ann Jaffe Gallery, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida; with Ronnie Landfield, Richard Saba, Doug Ohlson, Larry Zox
 
1993
"Combinations", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"Thru Thick and Thin", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
              
1994
"Invitational Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture", American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, New York City
 
"The Exuberant 80's", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
1997
"Invitational Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture", American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York City
 
1999
"Die Farbe (Rot) Hat Mich", Karl Ersnt Osthaus-Museum, Hagen, Germany
 
2000
"Deep Field Painting", The Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Art Gallery, New York City
 
"25th Anniversary Exhibition 1974 - 1999", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"Painting Abstraction', New York Studio School, New York City
 
"Hunter College Art Department Faculty Exhibition", Times Square Gallery, New York City
 
"Transparent, Translucent, Opaque", Paris, France; with Carl Andre, Melissa Kretschmer, Mary Obering
 
2002
"International Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture", American Acadaemy of Arts and Letters, New York City
 
2003
"Painted Parameters", Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City
 
"Selections", Lohen-Geduld Gallery, New York City
 
2004
"Contemporary Abstracts", Elaine Baker Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida
 
2005
"Looking Back & Moving Forward", Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota
 
2006
"Carl Andre, Melissa Kretschmer, Mary Obering, Doug Ohlson", Alfonso Artiaco, Naples, Italy

Awards:

Fellowship, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, 1968

Summer Research Grant, City University of New York, 1968

Grant, Creative Artists Public Service, (a fellowship program funded by New York State Council on the Arts), 1974  

Grant, National Endowment for the Arts, 1976  

Public:

The Brooklyn Museum , Brooklyn, New York
The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland
Museum fur Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Federal Republic of Germany                   
The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Iowa City
Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, Salt Lake City
Weatherspoon Art Gallery, University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Albright - Knox Gallery, Buffalo, New York
Lowe Art Museum, Miami, Florida
Karl Ernst Osthaus-Museum, Hagen Germany
Harvard Art Museums,Cambridge, Mass.
Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
Corporate:
American Telephone & Telegraph Company, New York City
Chase Manhattan Bank, New York City
Coudert Brothers, New York City
Isham, Lincoln & Beale, Chicago, Illinois
Security Pacific National Bank, Los Angeles, California
Smith Kline Beckman, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
IBM Atlanta, Georgia
IBM Somers, New York