Jim Nickel
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→ 2022 Personal Structures – Reflections European Cultural Centre, 2022 Art Biennale, Venice, Italy
→ 2021 Time Space Existence, European Cultural Centre, Biennale, Venice, Italy
→ 2004 Newer Genres, 20 Years of the Rutgers Archives for Printmaking Studios, New Brunswick, NJ
→ 1998 Print 98, Herter Art Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
→ 1998 Paper Work: On and of Paper, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
→ 1998 Print 10, Florida Printmakers Society, Jacksonville, FL
→ 1998 Watermark, Southern Community College, Whiteville, NC
→ 1996 Grafiker 95, Falu Biennalen, Dalarnus Museum, Falu, Sweden
→ 1995 Bouys: Marking the Place, Exhibition of Large-Scale Sculpture, Bill Bace Gallery, NYC
→ 1991 Exhibition of Painting and Sculpture, Berkshire Art Association, Berkshire Museum
→ 1985 Constructures: New Perimetrics in Abstract Painting, Peter Frank, Nohra Haime Gallery
→ 1981 On the Trail of the Exxon National, National Arts Guide, Peter Frank, 3(1):22
→ 1976 Painting and Sculpture by Midwest Faculty-Artists, Krannert Art Museum
→ 1975 “Three Contemporary American Paintings,” Jack Cowart, Bulletin, St. Louis Art Museum
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Solo Shows
→ 2017 “Elemental Abstraction,” Mill Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
→ 2013 “The Venture Series,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 2005 “Jim Nickel,” Niche Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
→ 2001 “The Coprolite Series,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 2000 “Excavations,” Artbuilders Gallery, Jersey City, NJ
→ 1999 “Pseudomorphs,” Interchurch Center Gallery, New York, NY
→ 1997 “On Growth and Form,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1996 “Aggregate Images,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1993 “Breakthrough,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1991 “New Sculpture,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1990 “Sculpture,” Chauncy Gallery (E.T.S.), Princeton, NJ
→ 1989 “Evolutions: Paintings into Sculpture,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1988 “Recent Sculpture,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1986 “Imaging,” Camera Obscura Gallery, Denver, CO
→ 1981 “Recent Photographs and Sculpture,” Tim Burns Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1979 “Noticing Things,” Armand Hammer Health Sciences Library, Columbia University, NYC
→ 1977 “Jim Nickel,” Terry Moore Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1975 “Jim Nickel,” Terry Moore Gallery, St. Louis, MO
Selected Group Shows
→ 2026 “Personal Structures – Reflections,” European Cultural Centre, Biennale, Venice, Italy
→ 2025 “Photography: Circular Vision of Time,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 2024 “Time, space, Existence,” European Cultural Centre, Biennale, Venice, Italy
→ 2024 “You're Breaking Up,” Jane Street Gallery, Saugertes, NY
→ 2023 Eugene Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
→ 2022 “Personal Structures – Reflections,” European Cultural Centre, Biennale, Venice, Italy
→ 2021 “Time Space Existence,” European Cultural Centre, Biennale, Venice, Italy
→ 2017 “Color: Primary to Tertiary,” Site Brooklyn, NYC
→ 2016 “Contmporary Printmaking,” Site Brooklyn, NYC
→ 2006 “9 Views,” Uma/Niche Gallery, NYC, NY
→ 2006 “10 for 20,” 20th Anniversary Show, Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 2004 “Newer Genres: 20 Years of the Rutgers Archives for Printmaking Studios,” Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, NJ
→ 2003 “New Digital Directions,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 2002 “Moving Forward,” Photo District Gallery, New York, NY
→ 2000 “3-D Sculpture Works,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 2000 “Preserving the Garden,” Printmaking Council of New Jersey, Somerville, NJ
→ 1999 “Form and Function,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1999 “Janet Turner Print Exhibition,” California State University, Chico, CA
→ 1998 “34th Irene Leache Memorial Exhibition,” Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, VA
→ 1998 “10th Annual National Print Exhibition,” Florida Printmakers Society, Jacksonville, FL
→ 1998 “1998 National Print Exhibition,” Herter Art Gallery, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
→ 1996 “Grafiker 95, Falu Biennalen,” Dalarnus Museum, Falu, Sweden
→ 1995 “Buoys: Marking the Place,” New York, NY
→ 1992 “Geometric Wood Structures,” 148 Duane Street Gallery, New York, NY
→ 1992 “Faber Birren Color Award Show,” Stamford, CT
→ 1991 “Berkshire Art Association Exhibition,” Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA
→ 1991 “Artists at Home,” Bill Bace Gallery, New York, NY
→ 1989 “Polar: Black to White,” Atrium Gallery, St. Louis, MO
→ 1987 “Painting into Sculpture,” Rotunda Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
→ 1985 “Artworks Three Dimensions,” Beaver College, Philadelphia, PA
→ 1985 “Constructures: New Perimetrics in Abstract Painting,” Nohra Haime Gallery, New York, NY
→ 1984 “Ways of Wood,” Queens College, New York, NY
→ 1983 “Art Across the Park,” Central Park, New York, NY
→ 1983 “National Small Works Show,” Zaner Gallery, Rochester, NY
→ 1982 “The Monument Redefined,” Gowanus Memorial Artyard, Brooklyn, NY
→ 1982 “Contemporary Art at One Penn Plaza,” New York, NY
→ 1981 “Foto ’81,” Foto Gallery, New York, NY
→ 1981 “The Shaped Field – Eccentric Format,” PS 1, Long Island City, NY
→ 1981 “Small Works Show,” 80 Washington Square East Gallery, NewYork, NY
→ 1980 El Museo Del Barrio, outdoor sculpture commission, New York, NY
→ 1979 “Art Across the Park,” Central Park, New York, NY
→ 1979 Musee d’Art Moderne, Lyons, France
→ 1977 “Faculty Art Show,” Steinberg Museum, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
→ 1977 “The Delta Show,” Arkansas Arts Center, Little Rock, AR
→ 1976 “Missouri Photographers,” St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, MO
→ 1976 “Midwest Painters and Sculptors Show,” Krannert Art Center, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
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→ The Stamford Art Association Merit Award, The Stamford Art Association
→ Purchase Award Prize, Janet Turner Print Competition, CSU, Chico, CA
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Jim Nickel was born in Oak Park, Illinois, November 30, 1943. He grew up in a household that could have had a television and a car but chose not to until he was in eighth grade. This worked to his advantage: He ranged widely and independently on bicycle, bus and Lake Street El. His primary creative outlet: an American Flyer model railroad, with intricate buildings, mountains, bridges, and forests, all of which he made from balsa wood, cardboard, airplane glue, lichens, old screens, plaster of Paris, and papier-mâché.
Nickel earned a B.A. in philosophy and classical languages from Concordia Senior College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He studied three years for the Lutheran ministry at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, including a full year of internship — a vicarage — in Cleveland. He left the seminary in 1968, and began studies at the Washington University School of Fine Arts. During two years at Washington University, he worked for Ernö Koch, a local sculptor, enlarging Koch’s small pieces for large outdoor commissions in welded steel. He learned photography, welding, and printmaking from Koch and remained in the Brentwood studio after Koch’s death in 1970.
Nickel developed his own work in the Brentwood studio until 1978, showing at the Terry Moore Gallery downtown and at Mark Twain Banks among others, and he taught three-dimensional design in the core program at Washington University. The St. Louis Art Museum purchased one of his large tape paintings in 1975 for its permanent collection.
In 1978, Nickel moved to New York where he earned an M.F.A. in sculpture at Columbia University (1986) and a teaching certificate from Columbia Teachers College. He has been a visiting artist in the New York State school system and continued his work at his Brooklyn studio, rotating among sculpture, painting, and photography.
In the summer of 2019, after nearly 40 years on Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, Nickel moved his studio — power tools, hardwood supplies, work in progress, office furniture, recorded music collection, and lots more — to Woodstock, New York. His principal residence remains in New York City. His work is represented by Atrium Gallery, St. Louis.
