As an abstract painter, I develop my artworks out of pure instinct and intuition without having a pre-planned vision of what my pictures will look like. Though I don’t necessarily set out to depict a figure, still life or landscape, all of my work derives from my direct physical and emotional experience of the world that is reinvented and filtered through my imagination.
In January of 2022, I started working on a new series of oils that focus on extremes of pure energy, emotion and the effects of time and space swirling in my imagination. Though we assume these invisible forces have no physical form in the world, we know, according to science, all of these powers do exist, however out of our perceptual range.
For me, abstract painting and drawing are vehicles of exploration, attempting to probe and objectify the reaches of this mysterious territory that is constantly changing and alluding description. Mathematicians are excited by the potential of quantum mechanics to explain the mysteries of the universe in equations and postulates that are as abstract as anything within the reach of human knowledge. What are black holes? What are subatomic particles? What creatures exist in the deepest depths of our oceans or the farthest stretches of the universe? How invigorating not to know the answers to these outlandish questions!
I consider myself a distant cousin of Indiana Jones, Sherlock Holmes, or at least an archeologist, deep sea diver or astronomer, applying myself to the shadowy realms of my own curiosities about the world. Painting, drawing, sculpting, singing, dancing, writing, and all forms of creativity, venture toward the same grand theories about, “Why are we here?” We all have different ways to interpret, not only what we see, touch, taste and smell, but we also appreciate and express our innermost feelings about what we don’t know as much as what we do know. And that’s called the genius of the creative process.
Dean Nimmer has exhibited his art in over 200 solo and group exhibitions across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia since he began his art career in 1970. His artworks are in the collections of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, DeCordova Art Museum, Smith College Art Museum, Harvard University, Peabody/Essex Museum and many other museums across the U.S. and abroad.
Dean was given the 2010, Distinguished Teaching of Art Award, granted by the 16,000- member College Art Association, the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award granted by the University of Wisconsin and honored as the Outstanding Community Teacher of the Year for 2014/15 by the state of Massachusetts.
He is the author of the successful book, Art from Intuition, Random House, 2008, that is currently in its 9th printing, and his latest book, Creating Abstract Art, (North Light Books, 2014) is also a 5-star rated book on Amazon. Dean is Emeritus Professor and the former Chairman of the Painting and Printmaking programs at the Massachusetts College of Art.
Public Art Collections
Smith College Art Museum, Northampton, MA
Drawing Center, New York City
New York Public Library, New York City
Nassau County Museum, Long Island, NY
Museum Haus Kasuya, Yokosuka, Japan
Central Academy of Arts and Design, Beijing, China
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, MA
Smithsonian National Archives, Washington D. C.
Wallraf-Richartz Museum Cologne, Germany
James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
Burren College of Art, County Clare, Ireland
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Boston Public Library, Boston, MA
Milwaukee Institute of Art, Milwaukee, WI
Peabody/Essex Museum, Salem, MA
Claim To Fame!
Dean Nimmer was the drummer for the psychedelic band, The Baroques who were the first non-blues white band signed to Chess Records in 1967.