A journey with geometry
My new paintings leap back to early interests in architecture and design. After decades of exploring very diverse lines of inquiry with my art, I find myself happily back home, especially after wandering in the world of lyric and narrative, expressionism and gesture, it is good to be back with the physical directness of algorithms, logic and rules.
My recent work explores a myriad of geometric possibilities.
I begin these works as drawings on small sheets of paper. The work emerges from a core shape. Its defining lines extend across the sheet of paper from edge to edge where they connect to and birth more lines.
The shape, size and position of the inner core determines the embryonic and evolving lines, forming structures and creating shapes. Add, delete or move one line and the entire work changes.
The original shape that is cut out in the painting is the seed of the structure which then grows as a crystal from its core.
The DNA of the painting dictates the finished work’s unique persona.
The beauty of the painting is in its truth to itself. The work follows simple rules to arrive at a larger, complex but ordered world.
I work within the dualistic checkerboard patterns of the paintings wherein lies movement: the push-pull, and warp and weave of lines battling in opposition, struggling to dictate and dominate the design.
I present to you a choreography of kaleidoscopic dance of pure, beautiful geometry.
Geometry Lessons #1 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #2 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #3 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #4 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #5 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #6 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #7 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #8 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #9 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #10 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Geometry Lessons #11 acrylic on panel, 48” x 36” x .75”
Bio
Born Richmond, Virginia, October 27, 1948
Education
1967-68
Architecture, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
1971-72
Printmaking, Art History, Psychology, BFA, U of F
1974-75
Painting, Master’s Program, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Ga.
“Tétradas”, Luis Lama, November 9, p.49, Lima Peru Gestión, “Geometría precolombiana en pintura de artista norteamericano”,
Solo Exhibitions 1995 Corriente Alterna, Lima, Peru, Tétradas 1996 Patterns, J. J. Brookings Gallery, San Francisco, California 1996 O. K. Harris Works of Art, New York, Woven Canvas 1998 O. K. Harris Works of Art, New York, The Endless Line 1999 La Segunda Iberoamericana Bienal de Lima (Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano) Instalación de Tétradas 2000 O. K. Harris Works of Art, New York, Tetrads 2006 Robert Steele Gallery (The Project Room) New York, Standard Measure Paintings 2015 Thomas Jaeckel Gallery, New York, Broken Verse Group Exhibitions 1978 File 3/13, Hansen Gallery, New York 1979 Small Works, NYU Gallery (Juror: Ivan Karp), New York 1980 Inaugural Group Show, Semaphore Gallery, New York Four Painters, Soho Center for the Visual Arts, New York 1981 Sixteen Painters, Semaphore Gallery, New York The Working Process, Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Columbus Circle Gallery, New York The Fourth of July, Public Image Gallery, New York Recent Acquisitions, Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Conn. 1982 Painting in Photography, Daniel Wolf Gallery New York The Famous Show, Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York Beyond the American Standard, Gracie Mansion Gallery, New York 1983 Small Works, Amherst College, Mass. Terminal New York, Brooklyn, NY Exposition Ete, Maximillien Guiol, Paris, France Gracie Mansion Presents..., Kamikaze, New York Lower East Side Polygon, Danceteria, New York Drawings into Paintings, Gallery 411/12, New York 1984 New Talent, Harm Bouckaert Gallery, New York Site-Specific Sculpture, Greathouse Gallery, New York Sculpture, Civilian Warfare Gallery, New York, Contemporary Triptychs, Bard
into
York 1985 New Summer, Pietrasanta Gallery, New York 1986 Abstraction, Greathouse Gallery, New York 1992 Group, D’Kada Gallery, Madrid, Spain 1993 Crosscurrents, Step Gallery, New York 1994 Salon, Tribeca 48 Gallery, New York Hospice, Cabrini Medical Center, New York 1995 Small Works, NYU Gallery (Juror: Jackie Littlejohn), New York 1999 Review, O. K. Harris Works of Art, New York 2000 Small Works, NYU Gallery (Juror: Tricia Collins), New York 2004 Selection, O. K. Harris Works of Art, New York 2005 Summer View, Robert Steele Gallery, New York 2008 O.K.Harris Works on Paper, Andrews University, Berrien, Michigan 2014 Artists’ Choice, Noho Gallery – M55 Art, New York 2015 Miami Basel, Thomas Jaeckel Gallery, Miami, Florida 2016 Winter Salon, Thomas Jaeckel Gallery, New York 2017 Winter Salon, Thomas Jaeckel Gallery, New York Catalogues/ Newspapers/ Periodicals 1981 New York Times, “The working process”, Grace Glueck, April 17 The Working Process, Organization of Independent Artist Essay by Henry Geldzahler, New York 1982 Flash Art, Nicholas Moufarege, November Arts Magazine, Nicholas Moufarege, September 1983 Southern Accents, summer, p.48-49 1984 New York Times, “The camera’s role as tool is growing”,
Contemporary Triptychs, Bard
York Small
Caretas,
College, Annandale-on Hudson, New York Painting
Photography, Thorpe Intermedia Gallery, New
William Zimmer, April 22
College, New
Works, University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, Ma. 1995
1998
November 2, p.2/B
El Comercio, “Darrell Nettles, la espiritualidad del pasado”, November 2, p.8/C
Expreso, “Darrell Nettles, un artista norteamericano en Corriente Alterna”, November 2, p.3/B
Darrell Nettles, The Continuous Line, with an Essay by Donald Kuspit
O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York
1999 Expreso, “Darrell Nettles, El balance del blanco y negro”, Ketty Cadillo, October 30, p.4/B
2000
2010
La Segunda Iberoamericana Bienal de Lima
Municipalidad Metropolitana de Lima, Peru
New American Paintings, #26, Juror: Terrie Sultan
The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Ma.
New American Paintings, 15th Anniversary Edition
The Open Studios Press, Wellesley, Ma.
2014 Artist’s Choice, Gallery artists choose guest artists
2015
Noho Gallery – M55 ART
The Wall Street Journal, Peter Plagens, November 20, A18
Commissions/Projects/Grants
1982
1983
1990
1991
Egon Schiele, A play by Stephan Fechter, New York
Windows, Art installation commissioned for Bergdorf Goodman, New York
Faultline, Art commissioned for a play by Morgan Jennes, New York
Adolph Gottlieb Foundation, New York
Collections - Museums
Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield, Connecticut
Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas
Centro de Artes Visuales, Lima, Peru
Museum of Modern Art (Národní Galerie), Prague, Czech Republic
Marifí Plazas Gal Collection,
Museo Regional de Arte Moderno, Cartagena, Spain
Collections - Corporate, Miscellaneous
Analysis Group, Chicago, Illinois
Anderson-Cook, Inc., Detroit Michigan
Bank of America, San Francisco, California
Banque Nationale de Paris, Paris, France
Cabrini Medical Center, New York
City of Chesterfield, Missouri
Cooley Godward Kronish LLP, Boston, Massachusetts
Corriente Alterna, Lima, Peru
Dean Witter Company, New York
Escarpenter, Barcelona, Spain
Exxon/Mobil Oil Collection, Hamburg, Germany
Farer Fersko, Westfield, New Jersey
Galetea’s Art Collection, St. Helena, California
Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, PC, St. Louis, Missouri
Harvard School of Business, Cambridge, Ma.
Wynn Kramarsky Collection, New York
KrasnePlows, New York
Legorburu, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
López-Mayordomo Collection, Valencia
Marcus W. Stroh Collection, Mayorca
Lewis, Rice Fingerush, Attorneys at Law, St. Louis, Missouri
Missouri State Bank, St. Louis, Missouri
National Reinsurance Corporation, Stamford, Connecticut
Needham, Harper and Steers, New York
Pfizer, New York
Sunoco Oil Corporation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Swissre Corporation, New York
University of Arkansas, Jonesboro, Arkansas
Westwood Studios, Las Vegas, Nevada
Wilmington Trust Company, Wilmington, Delaware
Darrell Nettles www.dnettles.com
Darrell Nettles Geometry Lessons
