Bio

Nicola Parente creates expressive abstract paintings and photography from his studio in Houston, Texas. Born in Italy, he draws from his rich Italian heritage and a deep well of cross-cultural experiences to bring his art to life. Working in a variety of media, he engages the viewer in dialogues of human encounter within the urban environment. Inspiredby changes in metropolitan communities, his art defines the intersections of daily urban life and timeless multi-cultural celebration. His paintings capture the fluidity and static elements of the urban matrix, referencing the architectonic images, reflections, and rhythms of its landscape. Mr. Parente completed his undergraduate studies at King’s College and his masters from the University of St. Thomas. Currently, Art League Houston is featuring two collaborative site specific installation, Natural Recyclers and Wasted Resolve, by Parente and Divya Murthy. Earlier in 2009, Parente’s work was exhibited in an exhibition entitled Transparent/Translucent, curated by Wade Wilson, at the Museum Gallery, University of Texas, in San Antonio. In 2008, Parente collaborated with Dominic Walsh Dance Theater in designing and creating the set for the World Premier Production of Terminus. Parente is represented in Houston by Gremillion & Co. Fine Art. His works can be seen in public and private collections in the US and abroad.

Bio/Resume PDF

Resume

1966 in Mola di Bari (Italy), resides and works in Houston (TX), USA

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2009Natural Recyclers, outdoor installation at Art League Houston, Houston TX (two person exhibit)
Wasted Resolve, site specific gallery installation, Art League Houston, Houston TX (two person exhibition)

2008Journey, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Houston TX
Terminus, E_Merging II, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, Houston TX (featured artist, set & costume design)
Featured Artist, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Houston TX

2007Art and Architecture, Shadehouse Development, Houston TX
Reflections, 1200 Post Oak Gallery, Houston TX

2006The Edge of Urban Time, Thornwood Gallery Colquitt, Houston TX (two person exhibition)
Circles, Inner Connection, Thornwood Gallery Birdsall, Houston TX

2005Inner Connections, Omni Houston Hotel Gallery, Houston TX
Sensations, Culture Club Gallery, Mola di Bari Italy
Movement Without Borders, Italy America Chamber of Commerce of Texas, Houston TX
Reaction, Morris Architects Lobby, Houston TX

2004Mediterraneo, Morris Architects Lobby, Houston TX
Mind Matter, Omni Houston Hotel Gallery, Houston TX

2003Art in Unsuspecting Places, Six Gee, Houston TX (two person exhibition)
Nuances of Emotions, Mind Puddles Gallery, Houston TX

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2009 Water-Effects on Life in the Houston Area, Rice University Shell Center for Sustainability, Houston TX
Italian Style Expo, Featured Artist, Houston TX
Transparent/Translucent, University of Texas Art Gallery Museum, San Antonio TX (Wade Wilson, Curator)
Parallel Universes – The Art of Quantum Physics, Spacetaker, Houston TX

2008Texas National 2008, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches TX (juried group exhibition, Roger Shimomura, Juror) Texas Art 2008, Assistance League, Williams Tower Gallery, Houston TX (juried group exhibition, Dr. Kevin Salatino, Juror, Department Head and Curator of Prints and Drawings, Los Angeles County Museum of Art) Intersections, The Jung Center, Houston TX Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX

2007Art Crawl, M.A.N. Studios, Houston TX
Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
ArtHouston, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Houston TX
In Focus, Visual Arts Alliance, Sugar Land Regional Airport, Houston TX

2006Art Crawl, Mother Dog Studios, Houston TX
Fire & Water Invitational, Arnaudville LA (Curated by George Marx)
Gallery Artist, Ann Connely Fine Art, Baton Rouge, LA
Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
Visual Arts Alliance, Continental Airlines Building Lobby, Houston TX (juried group exhibition, Clint Willhour, Juror)
ArtHouston, Thornwood Gallery, Houston TX

2005Year End Group Exhibition, Thornwood Gallery, Houston TX
Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
Visual Arts Alliance, Bank of America Building, Houston TX (Honorable Mention Award, juried group exhibition, Harvey Bott, Juror)
Face, Artcar Museum, Houston, TX
Summer Group Exhibition, Mind Puddles Gallery, Houston TX

2004Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
Art for Art's Sake, MFAH, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Cypress Creek, Houston TX
Big Show, Lawndale Art Center, Art Car Museum, Houston TX (juried group exhibition, Michael Ray Charles, Juror)

Select Public/Private Collections:

  • Kanaly Trust, Houston, TX
  • Banco Santander, Spain
  • Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, Austin, TX
  • Bailey’s American Grille, Seabrook, TX
  • Boston Consulting Group, Houston, TX
  • Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston TX
  • Serenade Restaurant, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
  • Neo’s Architects, Houston TX
  • Triad Resources, Houston TX
  • Palantir Capital Management, Houston TX
  • Vineyard on the Square, Sugarland TX

Press:

  • Metzger, Mona, “Will Work For Trash, Local Artists Bring Attention to Houston’s Trashy Ways”, HoustonGreenScene.org, December, 2009
  • Hendley, Meghan, “Green”, KUHF, National Public Radio, Front Row (audio interview), December 7, 2009
  • Green, Yolanda, Going Green with Yolanda Green, “Natural Recyclers and Wasted Resolve Art Exhibitions”, Channel 39, KIAH-TV, November 24, 2009
  • Justa, Aditi, “Eco artists change Houston’s poor recycling image with their creations”, Green Diary, Nov. 20, 2009
  • Wozny, Nancy, “Houston artists go green in a big way”, Culturemap Houston, November 19, 2009
  • Glentzer, Molly, “Natural Recyclers”, Houston Chronicle, November 16, 2009
  • Fenberg, Steven, “Arts”, learn advance achieve enjoy, Houston Endowment 2008 Annual Report, 2009
  • Sherer, Scott, “UTSA hosts Transparent/Translucent art exhibit”, UTSA Today, June, 2009
  • Editors, “Bayou City Art Festival Selected Jurors”, February, 2009
  • Walker, Margie, “Nicola Parente: Thinking Artist Creates Thoughtful Art”, Master Artist of the Month, January, 2009
  • Editors, Cover Contest Honorable Mention, 002houston, December, 2008
  • Wolfe, Brandon, “Journey: The Art of Nicola Parente”, OutSmart, September, 2008
  • Hendley, Meghan, “Journey”, KUHF, National Public Radio, Front Row (audio interview), August, 2008
  • Bogan, Natalie, “Journey Man”, Houston Modern Luxury, July, 2008
  • Editors, “Fave Art”. Fave, Summer 2008
  • Dunn, Chris, “Spacetaker Artscene”, 002houston, July, 2008
  • Gajkowski-Hill, Sarah, “Nicola Parente: Journey”, ArtsHouston, June, 2008
  • Cody, Andrea, “Movers and Shakers, E_Merging II, Terminus”, Dance Houston, April, 2008
  • Wozny, Nancy, “E_Merging II, Terminus”, Dance Source Houston, April 12, 2008
  • Editors, E_Merging II, Houston Theater District, April 2009
  • Dunn, Chris, “Champagne, Darke Chocolate, and 100 Paintings”, 002 Spacetaker Artscene, February, 2008
  • Editors, “Cover Contest Finalist”, 002houston, December, 2007
  • Holstein, Amara, “Off the Grid, Houston, We've Solved a Problem”, Dwell, November, 2007
  • Editors, Artist Voice, NY Arts Magazine , July/August, 2007
  • Varricchio, Enzo, “Between the circles”, Centro Studi di Diritto, delle Arti, del Turismo e del Paesaggio, July, 2006
  • Johnson, Kyle, “Thornwood Gallery”, 002houston, February, 2006
  • Editors, “Diverse Works of Art”, ASID Angle, July/August , 2005
  • Adriani Annella, “Sensations”, Lo Spiraglio, May, 2005
  • Editors, Houston Chronicle – Preview - Feature Photo – April 7, 2005
  • Editors, Romance Writers of America Report - Artwork Featured on Cover, February 2005
  • Theiss, David, “The Town Downtown”, Houston Chronicle, January 23, 2005
  • Bob, Maurice, “The Parente Movement”, 002 Magazine, January 2005
  • Editors, Preview Six Degrees, Houston Chronicle, November 25, 2004
  • Griffith, Lanny, “Live with Lanny Griffith”, Fox 26 TV Houston, TX (interview), 2004
  • Fox 26 TV Morning News – Featured artist of the week- 2003, 2004

Awards and Honors:

  • 2009 Juror, Black   White, IIDA, Art   Artifacts Photography Competition
  • 2009 Art for Arthritis ’09 Featured Artist, Houston TX
  • 2009 Houston Arts Alliance Peer Panel Review
  • 2008/2009 Recipient of Artist Cohorn, Professional Development Workshop, DiverseWorks and Houston Arts Alliance, Houston TX
  • 2008 Recipient of Creative Capital Professional Development Workshop, DiverseWorks, Houston TX
  • 2008/2009 Juror, Houston Art Colony Association for the annual Bayou City Arts Festival
  • 2008 002houston – Cover Contest Honorable Mention
  • 2007 Juror, Houston Art Colony Association for the annual Bayou City Arts Festival
  • 2005 Visual Arts Alliance, Bank of America Building, Houston TX (Honorable Mention)

Teaching Experience:

  • 2009 Menil Collection, WITS Residence Artist, Joaquin Torres-Garcia Project
  • 2009 Houston Museum of Fine Arts, WITS, Art to Poetry to Art workshops
  • 2009 Skeakeasy, Spacetaker (Artists Talk), Houston TX
  • 2009 Writers in the Schools (WITS), Artist in Residence, Houston TX
  • 2007 DeMedici Art Academy, Houston TX

Education:

  • M.B.A., 2004, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
  • B.A., 1988, Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, PA