Olivia Guterson is an artist and mother living in Detroit, where she engages in painting, sculpture, and food cultivation. Exploring themes of brokenness, refusal, and fugitivity, Guterson choreographs bones, shells, beads, soil, and colors into textures, gestures, and rhythms. In her offerings, she explores the relationship between nature, culture, and ancestral wisdom as we collectively move towards uncertainty and always, possibility.
Why is creating important to you?
"For me, there is so much of life that I experience and witness that there are not words for. Creating as a way of making sense of what it means to be alive, but also dream what is possible is why I have this daily practice of making. Also, art has always been my path to making and nurturing community which is everything."
Olivia wears head-to-toe Coup. This stunning dress is the Violet Dress by Collina Strada, paired with Ottange Lotus Heels + Panconesi P Helix Earrings in gold + Watch Necklace by Cracks on the Shell (available in-store only).
When do you feel the most confident?
"I feel most confident when I am playing with my child or I'm in my studio painting. It is those moments where the stresses and pressures of life are lifted and the invitation to be present, creative, and playful are what matters most. Confidence for me is about being fully in my body and releasing judgements that don't serve me being who I need to be to show up for myself and those around me. The studio is also a place where I get to be messy and I don't have to have any answers. There's a real gift to just being and making in a space of curiosity."
Guterson received her MFA in Painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art (2024) and completed her BA (2013) in community development. She has been awarded the Beau Materials Fund Award (2024); The Gilbert Fellowship (2022 & 2023); Emerging Artist Fellowship Award (2022) and more. Currently she is a resident artist at DTW (Detroit Tyrrell Winston) and has been in residence at Buffalo Prescott (Michigan, 2024), Interlude (New York, 2023), El Sur (Mexico City, 2023), Modern Ancient Brown (Michigan, 2021), and Siblys Shrine (Pennsylvania, 2020). She has shown her work at the Charles H Wright African American Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, Cranbrook Art Museum, The Shepherd, The Arab American National Museum, Jewish Art Salon, Mattress Factory, and more.
How has your style evolved?
"Motherhood, traveling, and therefore the necessity of having functional clothing has been the biggest evolution in my style. I think of clothing and jewelry as an extension of myself so I am drawn to more fitted garments whether it's designing and making them or having something tailored. Pockets are a must and I love chunky necklaces. Textures and patterns are also so important as I think they tell the story of where I've been."
Here Olivia wears the MM6 Sleeveless Trench Coat + Panconesi Blow Up Solar Ring + Steff Eleoff Huggy Hoops + MM6 x Dr. Marten white Loafers. All available in-store and online!
In addition to her artistic practice, Guterson has contributed as a teacher, birth and food justice advocate, community organizer, editor, and writer. Through her multifaceted approach, she seeks to connect personal histories with broader community narratives, enriching her creative expression and social impact.
What regular practices or rituals are important to you?
Prayer, gardening, and being in my studio are regular rituals in my life. Taking time to be intentional about my hopes for myself and the world; growing food for myself and my neighbors; and creating feel vital to how I live my life. I feel grateful for the ways these practices keep me grounded and focused when oftentimes the world feels so heavy. I am also grateful that holding these as daily rituals means that I am accountable to more than myself."
