Nicholas Dertien

Nicholas Dertien, is a Austin based artist, educator and small business owner. After completing his MFA at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2009, Nicholas set up a private sculpture studio in Austin. He has exhibited work in Marfa, Seattle, Austin, Providence and New York. Over the past decade, Nicholas’s major studio themes have focused on visually representing the sensation of breath, asthma and the eroding of the physical body. In 2015, Nicholas launched Visual Ministry Consulting which strives to create visually vibrant experiences for local worshiping communities. Nicholas is an adjunct faculty member at Austin Community College and Concordia University Texas, where he teaches drawing, design, glass, photography and ceramics.

As an educator Nicholas believes that creating a "non-fear based learning environment" is critical for a creative studio course. Within this learning environment students learn to use a discovery based practice, the design development process and critiques as a tool for positive growth. His teaching philosophy can be found on his website. Nicholas lives and works in south Austin with his wife and four sons.

MFA, Glass Rhode Island School of Design
Certificate I, Brown University, Sheridan Center for Collegiate Teaching Excellence
BFA, Studio Art, University of Texas at Austin

Solo:
2013: Endurance: Three by Five Foot Drawings, UltraLab, Austin TX
2009: Passing Through: RISD Glass Independent Thesis Show, Providence RI

Installations:
As Visual Ministry Consulting in Austin TX
2017: Rubbings, Summer Worship
Art in Process, Building Renewal
2016: Writing Slabs, September 11th Service
Bridge Weaving Loom, Building Bridges Series
Shalom Prayer Flags, Seeking Shalom Series
2015: Rotating Home, Radical Hospitality Series
Hanging Road, Lenten Services

Group:
2017: High Plateau, Building 98, Marfa, TX
2016: Art of Giving, Russell Collection of Fine Art, Austin, TX
2013: People’s Gallery, Austin City Hall, Austin TX
2012: People’s Gallery, Austin City Hall, Austin TX
Artpost Collective Show, Artpost, Austin TX
2011: Tides, Gallery at Shoal Creek, Austin TX
Springboard, Artpost, Austin TX
Presence and Absence, Vislab at University of Texas, Austin TX
2010: VPL Spring 2011 Fashion Collection, New York NY
Ideas as Mountains, Creative Research Lab, Austin TX
Five by Seven, ArtHouse, Austin, TX
2009: East West Emerging Artist Exchange, COCA, Seattle WA
Graduate Thesis Exhibition, Rhode Island Convention Center
2008: From Big Box to White Box, RISD Museum Chace Cente...