Biography
As a person from the central valley of California, one who grew up living in a small town doing agricultural labor, my thoughts of becoming an artist seemed distant and futile. Somewhere between grade school and high school, friends and businesses around town started asking me to paint signs for them. This was my opportunity to trade in my then current tool: a shovel, to be able to employ my much-preferred tool: a lettering brush, for my work. I continued working in agriculture while taking any “art” job I that would present itself. By the time college came around, I was ready to seek out the art world, no matter the cost. My early influences in painting were Rene Magritte, Grant Wood, and Thomas Hart Benton for their depictions of common life in ways both unusual and banal. After moving to Los Angeles to continue my education and encountering influential shows by painters such as Anselm Kiefer and David Hockney that influence helped me discover what painting could be. I have been working in Phoenix for the last 25+ years in our home studio, with a combination of illustration, graphic design, teaching, and painting.
Resume
EDUCATION:
Azusa Pacific University, California, MFA — Visual Art
California State University, Fullerton, B.A. — Painting & Drawing
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS:
2024 ~ “Every Picture Tells A Story” Old Town Guild, Cutchogue, NY
2024 ~ “A Perspective From Above” Herberger Art Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2023 ~ “Motivated History” YC Prescott Art Gallery, Yavapai Community College, AZ
2022 ~ “More Paper Planes” Williams Gallery, Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN
2021 ~ “21st Annual Artlink Juried” Found:re Contemporary, Phoenix, AZ
2021 ~ “Revival Showcase” Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Phoenix, AZ
2020 ~ “Long Term Memories” Transition Art Space, Life Pacific University
2019 ~ “Paper Planes” Polytechnic Library, Arizona State University
2019 ~ “Paper Planes” Vault Gallery, Arizona State University
2018 ~ “Time Out of Mind” Heritage Gallery, Azusa Pacific University, CA
~ “Shared Vision” Inland Empire Museum of Art, Upland, CA
2017 ~ “Accidental Monster” Duke Gallery, Azusa Pacific University, CA
~ “Unity Through States of Being” Modified Arts, Phoenix, AZ
~ “HyperObjects” Exhale Unlimited Gallery, Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
2016 ~ “Transitions & Transformation” Emergent Gallery, Aurora, IL
~ “Artificial Realities” Flower Pepper Gallery, Pasadena, CA
~ “Quartet Interpretations” Exit Gallery, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA
~ “Pneumatological Imagination” SPS, Life Pacific College Gallery, San Dimas, CA
~ “Resolution” Exhale Unlimited Gallery, Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
2015 ~ “Recolor, Recover” Exhale Unlimited Gallery, Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
2014 ~ “Fresh Art 2014” Marin Society of Artists, Marin, CA
2013 ~ “Dia de Los Muertos,” Tohono Chul Gallery, Tucson, AZ
2012 ~ Velcro Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2011 ~ 411 Gallery, ASU Downtown “action, advocacy, arts” Phoenix, AZ
2006 ~ Cazabba Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2005 ~ Phoenix Little Theater, Phoenix, AZ
2002 ~ Gallerie U7, Frankfurt, Germany
2000 ~ Selected Arizona Commission of the Arts, Touring Exhibition
1999 ~ Arizona Biennial, Tucson Museum Of Art, Tucson, AZ
1997 ~ “La Phoeniquera” Phoenix, AZ
1996 ~ Loma Linda University “The Two Jeffs” Loma Linda, CA
1996 ~ Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ
1995 ~ Arizona Biennial, Tucson Museum Of Art, Tucson, AZ
1994 ~ Searching For The Hidden, Biola University, Los Angeles, CA
~ C.S. Lewis Foundation, Cambridge, England
~ “Elements” Gallery W, Sacramento, CA
~ Realm Of The Miniature, Artegeo Contemporary Exhibitions
1993 ~ Orange Ramble, Open Studios, Orange, CA
1992 ~ Nese Gallery, Santa Ana, CA
~ Mark Masuoka Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
1990 ~ “Heroes, Heroines, Idols and Icons,” Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, CA
1990 ~ “California Perspective,” MMOA Modern Museum of Art, Santa Ana, CA
Selected Juried Exhibitions:
~ 18th Annual All Media Juried Art Exhibition, Juror: Lynda Forsha,
Curator of the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art
~ Irvine Creative Arts Guild, Second Annual Juried Exhibition,
Irvine Fine Arts Center, Juror: William Otton
~ OCCCA, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art - Fifth Annual Juried Competition
Juror: Josine Ianco-Starrels, Curator of Barnsdall Park Art Center, Los Angeles, CA
Press:
www.theartsbeacon, RAW Program: Unity Through States of Being at Modified Arts, Review, 2017
Frankfurt Neue Presse, Review, 2002
Tucson Weekly - Arizona Biennial, Margaret Regan,Tucson Weekly, Arts & Leisure Review, 1995
MMOA California Perspective Catalogue, 1991
Modesto Bee, Inspiration In Rural Life, June 1984
Patterson Irrigator, One Man Show, June 1984
At Art Center, The Age Of Ingenuity, February 1983
Private Collections:
Works held in private collections in Germany, Austria, New York, Pennsylvania, California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas
Jeff Del Nero
email: jeff@delnero-artwork.com
site: www.jeffdelnero.com
tel: 602.574.2716
studio location: Phoenix, Arizona
Every Picture Tells a Story
This is an acrylic on canvas painting with my extended doodle called “Infinite Use Stump”
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A Perspective from Above
A Perspective From Above – Show Announcement A Perspective From Above Exhibit When the viewer is above the subject, it creates a unique visual journey. From macro views of small creatures to wide vistas and those flying machines – artists show us their creative perspectives! Featuring the work of 14 Arizona artists. Opening Reception – … Read more
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Motivated History
Yavapai College – ONE GALLERY, TWO EXHIBITIONS Jeff Del Nero – Motivated History – June 6 – August 4, 2023 Q&A With Jeff Del Nero – Read more in this article from AcrossTheStreet.com Article “One Gallery, Two Exhibits” – Read more in this article from SignalsAZ.com or Listen (3:23) Opening Reception and 4TH Friday Artwalk June … Read more
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Time and Time Again
“Time and Time Again” 7.5″ W x 10.5″ H media: Acrylic, Ink, Graphite, on Paper, Jeff Del Nero 2022 This a reference to a science silhouette symbol of a human over a redrawn version from a medieval engraving. As a young boy, while sitting in front of the television, I had a habit of working … Read more
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Continuum – group show
A collection of work in a group show at Huntington University’s Arizona campus’ Wright Gallery.
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Revival
I am glad we are getting back to our lives here in Arizona!
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21st Annual Artlink Juried Exhibition
February 2021 Juried Exhibit I was pleased to be included in this year’s Artlink juried show at Found:re Contemporary. See the Exhibit Catalog as a pdf here. There was a nice group of artists in the show, and the experience was tenuous due to the ongoing stresses about COVID-19. People were genuinely happy to be … Read more
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Interview with Tripp Art
Artist: Terry Tripp of TrippArt Interviews Artist: Jeff Del Nero about his work. TrippsArtClass.com TrippArt: What first got you interested in visual art? What’s your “art testimony”? JEFF DEL NERO: Illustration was an early interest. I loved album cover art and how the visual expression of the music added to the experience. The whole package … Read more
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Heroes, Heroines, Idols and Icons exhibition
Muckenthaler, Heroes, Heroines, Idols, and Icons – Homage to the Onion Pickers Muckenthaler Cultural Center “Heroes, Heroines, Idols and Icons” exhibition
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