Sandye Utley

CLIFTON -- Sandye Utley was involved in many areas of Cincinnati's cultural scene, both in her work and as an arts advocate. In recent years, she combined her love of the arts with her writing and research skills to create Web sites for the award-winning author T.C. Boyle, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra music director Paavo Jarvi and the Blue Wisp Jazz Club.

Ms. Utley was found dead in her Clifton home on Jan. 29. She was recovering from a stroke when she died. She was 55.

Born in Covington, Ky., Ms. Utley moved with her family to Cincinnati at age 9 and was salutorian of her Hughes High School class. Although she loved jazz and classical music, her heart was in the visual art world. She studied art with Jack Boulton, who later became director of the Contemporary Arts Center, and she also studied radio, television and film at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

"Sandye did not have tremendous financial resources or political clout, but she supported and informed many of the cultural institutions and artists of the city," said James Duesing, professor in the School of Art, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. "She will be dearly missed by many people all over the world."

Ms. Utley was a founding member of C.A.G.E. (Cincinnati Artists' Group Effort.) Artistically talented, she was the character voice of "Fashionette" in Cincinnati artist Duesing's Siggraph Award-winning animated film, "Maxwell's Demon." The 1990 animation has been televised and screened internationally. Prints of it are now in several permanent collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

"At C.A.G.E., she worked on fund raising for a major renovation project and helped develop a fledgling media program into monthly video art screening parties, including one of her ideas called 'TV Dinner,'" said Duesing.

Many have noted Ms. Utley's skills as an archivist. She maintained a complete historical record of the early years at C.A.G.E., that ultimately became part of the collections at the University of Cincinnati Library.

She worked for most of the city's cultural organizations, including the CAC, Tangeman Fine Arts Gallery, Cincinnati Art Museum and WCET-TV (Channel 48). From 1990-96, Ms. Utley was assistant to the president of Mark Patsfall Graphics, who worked with international artists such as Nam June Paik. She also worked with the Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce.

"No on could have been a bigger booster for the city than Sandye," said her sister-in-law, Peg Allen.

"She designed and maintained the (Blue Wisp) site and was an enthusiastic supporter of both the Wisp and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and we will miss her good humor and gentle disposition," said Phil DeGreg, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music jazz professor.

Recently, Ms. Utley had begun a food blog, inspired by an early T.C. Boyle story, "Sorry Fugu." The last entry is about six new restaurants in Paris, her favorite city outside of Cincinnati.

"More than anyone here, she helped all of us understand what a powerful and close community we've developed in a way that goes far beyond what drew us together in the first place, and in the process she became a dear friend of mine," wrote Boyle on his messageboard.

She is survived by her brother, Roy Utley and his wife Peg Allen. Memorials may be sent to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 3949 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH. 45223.

A memorial service is planned on March 11 in Memorial Hall, Over-the-Rhine.