Eric Nelson

Studio Art

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Office Hours:
Monday and Wednesday, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, 4:15 - 5:15 p.m.

Eric Nelson

Professor of Studio Art

Johnson Memorial Building 214

Phone: (802) 443 - 5216

Email: nelson@middlebury.edu

Web Site

"Morning, Noon and Night"
1997-2002

CHRONOLOGY:
1945 Born in Aurora, IL
1972 B.A., University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, Major: Sculpture
1973 M.A., University of Iowa, Iowa City, Major: Sculpture
1974 M.F.A., University of Iowa, Iowa City, Major: Sculpture, Minor: Drawing and 3-D Design

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
1978 - present, Professor of Art, Middlebury College. Primary teaching responsibility is for sculpture at all levels and a basic studio fundamentals course which includes beginning and intermediate drawing, applied color theory and an introduction to sculpture. Also responsible for the development and management of a Visiting Artist program and an Artist-in-Residence program.
1998 - 2000, Director, Program in Studio Art, Middlebury College
1994 - 1997, Christian A. Johnson Professor of Art, Middlebury College. A chair recognizing teaching, scholarship and leadership and providing an enrichment fund to support travel, research and the development of teaching.
1988 - 1990, Chairman, Department of Art, Middlebury College
1977 - 1978, Assistant Professor of Art, Indiana State University, Evansville, IN. Taught sculpture, 3-D design and basic drawing.
1975 to 1977, Part-time Instructor of Art, Indiana State University, Evansville, IN. Taught figure drawing.
1972 to 1974, Teaching Assistant, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. Taught beginning and intermediate sculpture.

VISITING ARTIST:
1996 School of Sculpture, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
Department of Fine Arts, Trinity College, Hartford, CT
1985 School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
1984 - 1990, Vermont Studio School, Johnson, VT

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:
2000 - 2002 "Western Michigan University Sculpture Tour." Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, Connecticut Sculpture Park, Majestic Park, Department of Parks and Recreation, Bridgeport, CT
2000 "50 Years: Faculty Art at Middlebury." Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, VT
1999 "Maquette Exhibition for Pier Walk ‘99." Vedanta Gallery, Chicago, IL
1998 - 2000 "Inaugural Sculpture Exhibition. "Saint Paul’s Western Sculpture Park, Public Art Saint Paul, Saint Paul, MN
"Temporary Exhibition, Committee on Art in Public Places." Middlebury College Center for the Arts, Middlebury, VT
1997 "Convergence X." International Art Festival, City of Providence, RI
"Convergence: Westerly." Wilcox Park, Westerly, RI
1996 - present "Three Sculptures." Permanent Rotating Exhibit of Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Lincoln, MA
1996 "Works-in-Progress: Ed Giordano, Eric Nelson, Kim Walle." Sculpture Space Inc., Utica, NY
1995 "Reaching, Brian Cohen: Etchings, Eric Nelson: Sculpture, Claudia Sperry: Paintings." AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, NH
"Here and Now II: The Middlebury College Art Faculty Show." Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, VT
1994 "Regional Selections." The Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
"Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood - 1994." Stockbridge, MA - curator: Elliot Offner
1993 "Vermont Sculptors Outside." The Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, VT - curator: Jean Sousa
1992 "Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood - 1992." Stockbridge, MA - curator: Trevor Fairbrother
1991 "Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture." The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA - juror: Jock Reynolds
1990 "Here and Now, Recent Work of the Middlebury College Studio Art Faculty." Johnson Gallery, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
"Art of the Northeast USA." Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, CT - juror: Carter Ratcliff
1989 "Exhibition of Work by VCA Fellowship Recipients." Chaffee Arts Center, Rutland, VT
1989 "Stratton Arts Festival." Stratton Mountain, VT
1988 "Group Exhibition." Cady/Laven Fine Art, Bolton Landing, NY
1988 "Stratton Arts Festival." Stratton Mountain, VT
1987 "New England Contemporary." Nashua Center for the Arts, Nashua, NH
"Group Exhibition." Chaffee Art Center, Rutland, VT
1986 "Hudson Valley ‘86." Mid-Hudson Arts & Science Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
"From Vermont." River Valley Playhouse, Landmark College, Putney, VT
"Art’s Alive." Masonic Temple, Burlington, VT
1986 "Stratton Arts Festival." Stratton Mountain, VT
"Group Exhibition." Tower Gallery, New York, NY
"Carl Bates: Painting; Eric Nelson: Sculpture." Francis Colburn Gallery, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT Governor's Corridor, Montpelier, VT
1985 "14th Boston Arts Festival Open Competition." Boston, MA
"Group Exhibition." Rich-Perlow Gallery, New York, NY
1985 "Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture." The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA - juror: Kathy Halbreich
"Group Exhibition, Mussavi Arts Center." New York, NY
1985 "Stratton Arts Festival." Stratton Mountain, VT
1984 "Open Studios Vermont." McCarthy Arts Center, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT
"Recent Work by the Middlebury College Studio Art Faculty." Johnson Gallery, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
1983 "Small Works National ‘83." Zaner Gallery, Rochester, NY - juror: Patterson Sims
"New England Juried Exhibition." Millhouse-Bundy Arts Center, Waitsfield, VT
"Eleventh Regional Exhibition." Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
1980 "Eigth Regional Exhibition." Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
1979 "Nine Vermont Artists." Bundy Gallery, Waitsfield, VT
"Seventh Regional Exhibition." Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
1977 "30th Annual Mid-States Art Exhibition." Evansville Museum of Arts and Science, Evansville, IN
"Indiana State Universtiy Faculty Show." Evansville, IN
1976 "Indiana State Universtiy Faculty Show." Evansville, IN
1975 "Indiana State University Faculty Show." Evansville, IN
1974 "Three Sculptors." One Stop Gallery, Iowa City, IA
"26th Annual Exhibition of Iowa Artists." Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, IA - juror: Anne d'Harnoncourt
1973 "Six Sculptors." One Stop Gallery, Iowa City, IA

ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS:
1983 Widener Gallery, Trinity College, Hartford, CT
1981 Christine Price Gallery, Castleton State College, Castelton, VT
1980 Johnson Gallery, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
1979 Mugar Gallery, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH
1978 New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art, New Harmony, IN
1977 Barnhart Gallery, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Old Courthouse Gallery, Evansville, IN

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS:
Indiana State University, Evansville, IN
Nichols-Homeshield, Inc., Elmhurst, IL
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS:
Michael Aakhus
William Begeley
Gordon Elkins
Michael Elvestrom
Amy Kieger
Ivar Koleman
Giola Kuss
Melinda Mettler
Thomas and Virginia Moser
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Prigo
John Puoci
Mr. and Mrs. I. David Reingold
Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Risley

RESIDENCIES, AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS:
2002 Fellowship, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Sweet Briar, VA
1996 Residency, Sculpture Space Inc., Utica, NY
1990 Albert Jacobson Memorial Award, Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, CT
1987 Vermont Council on the Arts Fellowship
1985 Vermont Council on the Arts Fellowship
1979 - 2002 Faculty Research Grants for sculpture from Middlebury College

PUBLIC LECTURES:
2000 Gallery Talk on My Recent Sculpture, shown in "50 Years: Faculty Art at Middlebury," Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, VT
1997 Talking Steel, a slide lecture and discussion of my recent sculpture, Westerly Public Library, Westerly, RI
1996 Slide Lecture on My Recent Sculpture, School of Sculpture, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh, Scotland
1996 Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, Department of Fine Arts, Trinity College, Hartford, CT
1995 Inaugural Lecture and Gallery Talk, for the Christian A. Johnson Chair in Art, Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury, VT
1995 Gallery Talk on My Recent Sculpture, shown in the "Here and Now II: Middlebury College Art Faculty Show," Middlebury College Museum of Art, Middlebury VT
1994 Gallery Talk on My Sculpture, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
1991 Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, Visual Arts Department, Providence Day School, Charlotte, NC
1989 Gallery Talk on the ‘BIGlittle Sculpture’ Exhibition, Johnson Gallery, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
1987 Slide Lecture on My Sclupture, Fine Arts Department, Saint Mary's Hall, San Antonio, TX
1986 Slide Lecture and Studio Talk, Art Department, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, Governor's Institute on the Arts, Castleton State College, Castleton, VT
1985 Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, Art Department, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
1983 Gallery Talk on My Sculpture, Trinity College, Hartford, CT
1980 Panelist, Symposium: "Making Sculpture in the 1980's: Three Sculptor's Views" (Alex Markhoff, Eric Nelson, Barbara Zucker), Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, Abernethy Series, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
1979 Slide Lecture and Gallery Talk on My Sculpture, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH
"The History of Welded Steel Sculpture," The American Welding Society, White and Green Mountain Chapter, Rutland, VT
1976 Slide Lecture on My Sculpture, Evansville Museum of Arts and Science, Evansville, IN
1972 The Process of Sculpture, Fox Valley Art League, St. Charles, IL

REVIEWS AND PUBLICATIONS:
1998 "Art of the City," Mason Riddle, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, September 24, 1998
1994 "Review of Regional Selections at the Hood Museum," Charlet Davenport, Art New England, December, 1994/January, 1995
"Regional Selections: In the Realm of the Question," William Craig, Valley News, Lebanon, NH, August 11, 1994 "Natural Selection," Pamela Polston, Vermont Times, Shelburne, VT, August 10, 1994
"A Selected Few," Alice Fuld, The Keene Sentinel, Keene, NH, July 29, 1994
1990 "Juried Show: Best of a Good Lot," Vivien Raynor, The New York Times (Connecticut Edition), June 3,
"Silvermine's Best," Betty Tyler, Fairpress, Norwalk, CT, May 24, 1990
1988 Arthur Williams, Sculpture: Technique, Form, Content, Davis Publications, Worcester, MA (my work is also included in the revised edition of 1995)
"Review of ‘New England Contemporary’ at Nashua Center for the Arts," Margot Clark, Art New England, December, 1987/January, 1988
1987 "New England Contemporary Artists Featured at Nashua Center for the Arts," Staci Milbouer, The Nashua Telegraph, Nashua, NH, October, 1987
"Review of ‘From Vermont’ at River Valley Playhouse and Art Center in Putney, Vermont," Christina Gibbons, Art New England, March, 1987
1986 "Works of Seven Artists Displayed in Show At River Valley Playhouse," Christina Gibbons, The Brattleboro Reformer, Brattleboro, VT, December, 1986
"Vermont: An Exhibition of Seven Vermont Artists," Alison Devine, ARTSletter, Vermont Council on the Arts, Montpelier, VT, November/December, 1986
1985 "1985 BAA Exhibit: Homage to Absurdity," Charles Bonenti, The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA, October
1979 "Nine Vermont Artists at the Bundy," Independent, Waitsfield, VT, July, 1979
1978 "Minimum, Maximum," Ridge Kennedy, Evansville Press, Evansville, IN, March, 1978
1977 "Mid-States Art Exhibition Review," Ridge Kennedy, Evansville Press, Evansville, IN, September, 1977
"An Old Hand Steals the Show," Ridge Kennedy, Evansville Press, Evansville, IN, September, 1977

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
Member of the International Sculpture Center
Member of the College Art Association of America
Listed in Directory of Distinguished Americans, fourth ed., (Raleigh: American Biographical Institute, Inc. 1986)
Listed in the Directory of the Vermont Council on the Arts

OTHER EXPERIENCE:
2000 Consultant, Promotion Committee, Williams College, Williamstown, MA
Consultant, Promotion Committee, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
1997 Consultant, Promotion Committee, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
1996 Juror, Fourth Annual Juried Summer Exhibition, AVA Gallery and Art Center, Lebanon, NH
1995 Consultant, Sculptor Search Committee, Department of Fine Arts, Trinity College, Hartford, CT
1987 Juror, 1987 Stratton Arts Festival, Stratton Mountain, VT
1979 and 1980 Panelist, Grants-in-Aid to Individual Artists and Organizations, Vermont Council on the Arts, Montpelier, VT
1975 to 1977 Art Workshop Supervisor, Indiana State University, Evansville, IN
1974 to 1975 Museum Assistant, Museum of Art, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
1971 to 1972 Art Workshop Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago Circle
1967 to 1969 Illustrator, U.S. Army

Faculty & Office Hours