Education

  • 1988-1996
    The University of Southern Mississippi
  • 
BFA, Emphasis in Ceramics and Sculpture
  • 
Minor in Architectural Engineering

Employment

1997-Present
Nettles Studios

  • 
Pottery
  • 
Foundry
  • 
Gallery
  • 
Teaching Studio

2007
Ceramics Instructor
William Carey College

  • 
Upper level Ceramics

1997-2005
Studio Director of Ceramics and Sculpture
The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art

  • 
Manage ceramics studio and teach classes
  • 
Organize workshops and clay conferences
  • 
Curate ceramic exhibitions
  • 
Developed residency program
  • 
Grant writing and budgets

 

—1997

Art Technician
Inferno Art Foundry

  • 
Production of outdoor commissioned sculpture
  • 
Fabrication and welding
  • 
Mold making
  • 
Casting

 

—1996
Ceramics Instructor
The University of Southern Mississippi 
Continuing Education Program

  • 
Wheel throwing and hand building classes
  • 
Glaze Formulation
  • 
Kiln Building/ Firing

Selected Group and Solo Exhibitions

2011
Solo Show, Ohr-O’keefe Museum of Art
Biloxi, Ms

2010

  • Exposed, Mississippi Craft Center
    Jackson, Ms
  • Presenters Exhibit, Alabama Clay Conference
    Troy, Al
  • 100 Alumni, University of Southern Mississippi
    Hattiesburg, Ms
  • Cup Show, Ogden Museum
    New Orleans, La
  • Tradition/ Innovation, Louisiana Art & Science Museum
    Baton Rouge, La
  • Tradition/Innovation, Julie Collins Smith Museum
    Auburn, Al

2009

  • Influences, Walter Anderson Museum of Art
    Ocean Springs, Ms
  • Tradition/Innovation, Sumter County Gallery of Art
    Sumter, SC
  • Tradition/Innovation, Ashville Art Museum
    Ashville, NC
  • Tradition/Innovation, Pensacola Museum of Art
    Pensacola, Fl

2008

  • Tradition/Innovation, Knoxville Museum of Art
    Knoxville, Tn
  • Tradition/Innovation, Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft
    Louisville, Ky
  • Tradition/Innovation, Atlanta History Museum
    Atlanta, Ga
  • Tea Time, Ohr- Okefee Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms
  • Guest Artist Annual Invitational, Nichols State
    Thibodaux, La
  • Fired Up Ceramic Invitational
    New Orleans, La

2007

  • Keeping the Spirit, Gulf Coast Community College
    Gautier, Ms
  • Mississippi Clay Invitational, Ohr- O’Keefe Museum
    Biloxi, Ms

 

2006

  • South Coast Clay, Space 301 Gallery
    Mobile, Al

2005

Clay Invitational, Eastern Shore Art Center
Fairhope, Al
Ten Feet of Rope, Stone Works Studios
Hattiesburg, Ms
Barrier Islands, Mary C. Cultural Center
Ocean Springs, Ms

2004

  • Ceramic Exhibit, A Gallery
    Hattiesburg, Ms
  • Wood Fired Ware, Depot Gallery
    Pascagoula, Ms

2003

  • Pieces of the Process, William Carey College
    Gulfport, Ms

2002

  • Horn Island Experience, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms
  • Elements of Design, Walter Anderson Museum of Art
    Ocean Springs, Ms

2001

  • Winds from Key West, Kyouei-Gama Gallery
    Tokoname, Japan
  • International Ceramic Exhibition, Three-legged Dog Gallery
    Key West, Fl

2000

  • IWCAT (International Workshop of Ceramic Art at Tokoname), Tokoname Cultural Center
    Tokoname, Japan
  • Ceramics Invitational, Mobile Museum of Art
    Mobile, Al
  • IWCAT (International Workshop of Ceramic Art at Tokoname), Yakimono Festival
    Tokoname, Japan

1999

  • Salt Line, Mobile Museum of Art
    Mobile, Al
  • Wood Fired Pots, Tracks Gallery
    Hattiesburg, Ms

1998

  • Ceramic Exhibition, Mobile Museum of Art
Mobile, Al
  • Art Exhibition, Lauren Rogers Museum of Art
Laurel, Ms

1997

  • New Horizons Gallery
    Page, Az
  • Abstein Gallery
    Atlanta, Ga

 

Workshops / Lectures and Consulting

2010

  • Alabama Clay Conference, presenter
    Troy, Al

2009

  • Mississippi Craft Center, demonstration
Jackson, Ms

2008

  • Nichols State, lecture and demonstration
    Thibodaux, La

2007

  • Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, Consultant on Pottery Studio
    Design, layout, order equipment, plan classes
    Ocean Springs, Ms
  • New Orleans Museum of Art
    Demonstration
    New Orleans, La
  • Mississippi Craft Center
    Demonstration
    Jackson, Ms
  • Ohr- O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Lecture
: Closed Forms of Toshiko Takezu
    Biloxi, Ms
  • University of Southern Mississippi
    Lecture
    Hattiesburg, Ms
  • NCECA
    Co-Lecture: From Slab to Rehab
    Louisville, Ky

2005

  • NCECA
    Lecture: George Ohr & Building a Frank Ghery Museum
    Baltimore, Md
  • Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Taught kiln building workshop
    Biloxi, Ms
  • Nettles Studios
    Taught Anagama firing workshop
    Pass Christian, Ms

2004

  • Nettles Studios
    Taught raku kiln building workshop
    Pass Christian, Ms
  • Mississippi Gulf Coast Potter’s Guild
    Lecture: 
Ancient Kilns of Japan
    Biloxi, Ms

2003

  • Nettles Studios
    Taught Anagama kiln building workshop
    Pass Christian, Ms
  • Nettles Studios
    Taught gas reduction kiln building workshop
    Pass Christian, Ms
  • Mississippi Craft Center
    Lecture and demonstration
    Jackson, Ms
  • University of Wisconsin River Falls
    Lecture
    River Falls, Wi

2002

  • Nettles Studios
    Taught soda kiln building workshop
    Pass Christian, Ms
  • Mississippi Potter’s Guild
    Lecture and demonstration
    Biloxi, Ms

2001

  • Sloss Furnaces
    Iron-casting demonstration
    Birmingham, Al
  • Ohr- O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Consultant to Frank Ghery on design and layout of pottery studio of new Ohr Museum
    Biloxi, Ms

2000

  • Nettles Studios
    Cupola construction and iron casting workshop
    Pass Christian, Ms

1999

  • The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Designed and built studio kilns
    Biloxi, Ms
  • Alabama Iron Conference
    Lecture-large scale sand molds
    Sloss Furnaces, 
Birmingham, Al

1996

  • Alabama Iron Conference
    Workshop presenter- mold-making for cast iron
    Sloss Furnaces
, Birmingham, Al

 

1995

  • University of Southern Mississippi
    Built wood kiln for ceramics department, workshop
    Hattiesburg, Ms

Exhibitions Curated

2009

  • Attention to Details
    Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms

2008

  • Domo Arigato: “Thank You”
    Ohr- O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms

2007

  • Mississippi Clay Invitational
    Ohr- O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms

2004

  • Live From Japan
    Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms
  • Mississippi Wood Fired Pottery
    Mary C. Cultural Center
    Ocean Springs, Ms
  • Pots for Everyday Use, Co-curator
    Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms

 

Recent Grants / Awards Received

2009

  • Mississippi Arts Commission
    Project Grant

2008

  • George Ohr Art Festival, First Place
    Biloxi, Ms

2007

  • Trent Lott Innovation Award
    University of Southern Mississippi
    Hattiesburg, Ms
  • Mississippi Arts Commission
    Project Grant

2007

George Ohr Art Festival, Best of Show
Biloxi, Ms

2006

  • Peter Anderson Festival, Best of Show
    Ocean Springs, Ms
  • Houston Contemporary Museum of Art
    Project Grant 
2005
  • Andy Warhol Foundation
    Project Grant
  • Mississippi Arts Commission
    Mini Grant

 

Professional Memberships

  • 
Mississippi Craftsman’s Guild- (exhibiting member)
  • 
National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts
  • 
Ocean Springs Art Association
  • 
Mississippi Gulf Coast Potter’s Guild- (president)
  • 
Sloss Furnaces Historical Landmark Society

 

Publications

2008

  • 
Clay Times 
“Brian Nettles Part 2”
 by Lana Wilson (January/ February)
  • 
Beach Blvd. 
“Down By the River” 
by Evelina Shmukler (May)

2007

  • 
Clay Times
 “Brian Nettles” 
by Lana Wilson (November/ December)
  • 
American Style
 “Swept Away”
 by Lynda McDaniel (October)
  • 
Ceramics Monthly
 “Rebuilding After Katrina, Kiln by Kiln”
 by Shawn McCabe and Neil Tetkowski (March)

2005

  • 
Ceramics Monthly
 “Past, Present and Future on the Gulf Coast”
 Brian Nettles, The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art and Katrina
by Elaine Levine  (November)

1999

  • 
Ceramics Monthly
 “Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art”
 by Brian Nettles  (June)
  • 
The Sculpture Reference, Text Book
 “Iron Casting” 
by Author William

1997

  • 
Southern Living
 by Alihandro Wooten

 

Selected Public & Private Collections

  • 
Lauren Rogers Museum of Art
    Laurel, Ms
  • 
The University of Southern Mississippi
    Hattiesburg, Ms
  • 
Mississippi Museum of Art
    Jackson, Ms
  • 
Tokoname City Museum
    Tokoname, Japan
  • 
Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art
    Biloxi, Ms
  • 
Mobile Museum of Art
    Mobile, Al
  • 
Key West Community College
    Key West, Fl
  • 
Fidesco Collection
    New Orleans, La
  • 
Hogan Collection
    Gulfport, Ms
  • 
Frank Ghery
    Los Angeles, Ca