Portraits, Landscapes & City Scenes
Indiscernible Faces – Fiber Art Now Spring Edition / *** 2023-24 Biennial Juror’s Choice Award *** / Ohio Art Council’s Riffe Gallery (Columbus, OH) / Medici Museum of Art (Warren, OH)
“I was incredibly drawn to this piece for a variety of reasons first for the large scale and vibrant colors, the obvious textures, the labor-intensive practice, and absolute virtuoso craftsmanship. The longer you look the more you are rewarded with phenomenal details. I think we are brought into this fictitious world that is a combination of cultures and time periods united by a specific type of architecture, yet it feels believable, real, and like a place where we can visit. “ – anonymous juror
Although the composition emphasizes the grooviness of that time, it also explores serious contemporary issues. Coulter started this piece during the pandemic as a fun project to pass the time, but following the murder of George Floyd, he couldn’t continue in the same way. While the bright 70s style remained, he added details like “BLM” on a license plate and “8 minutes 46 seconds” on a taxicab, alluding to Floyd’s murder.
You can find “The Seventies Groove” at The Dayton Art Institute and on #BloombergConnects. ***
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Don “DonCee” Coulter. (American, born 1970) The Seventies Groove, 2020. Leather, suede, denim, synthetic hair, wood, various fabrics. Dayton Art Institute, Museum purchase, 2022.3
Peaceful Resistance – Autumn Rush Winery
Columbus Museum of Art Columbus OH
I AM – SOLD
Don ‘Doncee’ Coulter was the first recipient of the Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson fellowship. Established in 2019 by the Greater Columbus Arts council (GCAC) and the Columbus Museum of Art, this award celebrates Aminah’s legacy by recognizing the exemplary work of an African American visual artist. A Columbus Ohio native, Coulter grew up in a family that recognized the value of the arts and included both musicians and visual artists. The self portrait in the artist’s signature style, “I AM “depicts a young Coulter in the manner of an artist who paints. However, instead of a paintbrush and oils, his tools are an exacto knife and a palette of fabric strips. Listed next to him are the names of artists who had influence on him. In addition to Aminah Robinson and her mentor, Elijah Pierce, Coulter includes nationally known African American Artist Ernie Barnes and Ohio native muralist Walt Neil. Also included are the names of his own father Donald G Coulter, uncle, and grandfather William P Coulter & George Coulter. ‘I AM “is a contemporary work in the tradition of one of the most classic genres: a self-portrait. It is also a statement of gratitude, acknowledging an artistic lineage and the interconnectedness of a community of creatives. – Hammond Harkins Galleries 2021
Complexion – OSU Urban Artspace (Columbus, OH) / Cultural Arts Center (Columbus, OH) / Indianapolis Art Center (Indianapolis, IN) /Autumn Rush Winery (Johnstown, OH)
Landscapes / City Scenes
Animals
Paintings
Sports
Jazz
Where’s the Piano Player? Is what Don ‘DonCee’ Coulter refers to as a “fabric collage”. Coulter typically works with leather, suede, and denim, as wells as vinyl and cloth. He’ll cut the fabrics into shapes and then layer the cut pieces to build his figures by breaking them down into a system of relational shapes and planes. The end result is an organized composition and a convincing depiction of figures in space. What’s amazing about his process is that Coulter achieves his end result via a “flat’ medium, without mixing hues like a painter does. This process was heavily influenced by both hip hop and studying cubism. The subject matter of Where’s the Piano Player? is jazz, a subject close to the artist’s heart. Coulter’s family included the members of Penny & The Quarters, an R&B group from Columbus that recorded songs in the 1970s that recently gained an international audience. Interestingly, Where’s The Piano Player ? has a solid composition made up of overlapping triangles. This system of organization and the artist’s process are both very deliberate. They serve as a counterpoint to jazz, a means of expression more intuitive, fluid, and improvisational. – Hammond Harkins Galleries 2021
Hammond Harkins Galleries – (Columbus, OH) – SOLD