Bio
Born Mola di Bari, Italy, 1966
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. Inspired by 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.
Parente was selected for the 2008 Texas National and Texas Art juried exhibitions. His work was featured in the Transparent/Translucent exhibition at the University of Texas Museum Gallery in San Antonio. In 2010, Parente’s work was selected for Texas Art 2010 juried exhibition and his series Edge of Awakening was featured in a solo exhibition at Gremillion & Co Fine Art. That same year, he created a dynamic video/painting installation for Terminus, a Dominic Walsh Dance Theater production.
Parente was selected as Cadillac Texas Spirit Honoree in September 2011. Upcoming solo exhibitions include the Manuel Felguerez Museum of Abstract Art in Zacatecas, Mexico (December 2011 – March 2012), and the October 18 solo exhibition sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His works can be seen in public and private collections in the US and abroad. He obtained a BS from King’s College (PA) and a Masters degree from the University of St. Thomas (TX). He currently resides in Houston, Texas.
Download Parente_2011_CV_updated_Sept2011_1
Exhibitions
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
2011/12 Al Borde del Despertar, Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguerez, Zacatecas Mexico
2011 In the Light, Serenade Art House, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2011 Edge of Awakening, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Dallas TX
2010 Terminus, Video/Painting Installation, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, Houston TX
2010 Edge of Awakening, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Houston TX
2009/10 Natural Recyclers, outdoor installation at Art League Houston, Houston TX (two person exhibition)
2009 Wasted Resolve, site specific gallery installation, Art League Houston, Houston TX (two person exhibition)
2008 Journey, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Houston TX
2008 Terminus, E_Merging II, Dominic Walsh Dance Theater, Houston TX (featured artist, set & costume design for ballet “Terminus”)
2008 River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, Featured Artist, Houston TX
2007 Art and Architecture, Shadehouse Development, Houston TX
2007 Reflections, 1200 Post Oak Gallery, Houston TX
2006 The Edge of Urban Time, Thornwood Gallery Colquitt, Houston TX (two person exhibition)
2006 Circles, Inner Connection, Thornwood Gallery Birdsall, Houston TX
2005 Inner Connections, Omni Houston Hotel Gallery, Houston TX
2005 Sensations, Culture Club Gallery, Mola di Bari Italy
2005 Movement Without Borders, Italy America Chamber of Commerce of Texas, Houston TX
2005 Reaction, Morris Architects Lobby, Houston TX
2004 Mediterraneo, Morris Architects Lobby, Houston TX
2004 Mind Matter, Omni Houston Hotel Gallery, Houston TX
2003 Art in Unsuspecting Places, Six Gee, Houston TX (two person exhibition)
2003 Nuances of Emotions, Mind Puddles Gallery, Houston TX
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2011 Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, Houston TX (Juried exhibition, Catherine D. Anspon: Social and Fine Arts Editor, Paper City, Bill Arning: Director, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, Dominique Chastes: Project Manager, TFAA Paris, France, Alison Greene: Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Toby Kamps: Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, The Menil Collection, Marc Pottier: Curator and Art Advisor, Paris, France, Claudia Schmuckli: Director and Chief Curator, Blaffer Art Museum, University of Houston, Wendy Watriss: Artistic Director, Fotofest)
2010 Miami ArtBasel/Red Dot, Aleatoric Art, Miami FL
2010 Gambol, Art League Houston, Houston TX (juried exhibition, Miranda Lash, Juror, Curator of Contemporary and Modern Art, Museum of Art New Orleans
2010 Inaugural Exhibition, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Dallas TX
2010 Texas Art 2010, Assistance League, Williams Tower Gallery, Houston TX (juried exhibition, John Zarobell, Juror, Assistant Curator of Paintings and Sculpture, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art)
2010 Articulation, Audley Society, Houston TX
2009 Arts and Power, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Houston TX (Ron Gremillion, Curator)
2009 Water-Effects on Life in the Houston Area, Rice University Shell Center for Sustainability, Houston TX
2009 Italian Style Expo, Featured Artist, Houston TX
2009 Transparent/Translucent, University of Texas Art Gallery Museum, San Antonio TX (Wade Wilson, Curator)
2009 Parallel Universes – The Art of Quantum Physics, Spacetaker, Houston TX
2008 Texas National 2008, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches TX (juried exhibition, Roger Shimomura, Juror)
2008 Texas Art 2008, Assistance League, Williams Tower Gallery, Houston TX (juried exhibition, Dr. Kevin Salatino, Juror, Department Head and Curator of Prints and Drawings, Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
2008 Intersections, The Jung Center, Houston TX
2008 Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
2007 Art Crawl, M.A.N. Studios, Houston TX
2007 Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
2007 ArtHouston, Gremillion & Co. Fine Art, Houston TX
2007 In Focus, Visual Arts Alliance, Sugar Land Regional Airport, Houston TX
2006 Art Crawl, Mother Dog Studios, Houston TX
2006 Fire & Water Invitational, Arnaudville LA (Curated by George Marx)
2006 Gallery Artist, Ann Connely Fine Art, Baton Rouge, LA
2006 Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
2006 Visual Arts Alliance, Continental Airlines Building Lobby, Houston TX (juried exhibition, Clint Willhour, Juror)
2006 ArtHouston, Thornwood Gallery, Houston TX
2005 Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
2005 Visual Arts Alliance, Bank of America Building, Houston TX (Honorable Mention Award, juried exhibition, Harvey Bott, Juror)
2005 Face, Artcar Museum, Houston, TX
2004 Dia de los Muertos, Lawndale Art Center, Houston TX
2004 Big Show, Lawndale Art Center, Art Car Museum, Houston TX (juried exhibition, Michael Ray Charles, Juror)
Selected Public/Private Collections:
University of Houston, Energy Research Park
Apache Corporation, Houston, TX
Kanaly Trust, Houston, TX
Banco Santander, Spain
Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, Austin, TX
Parker Drilling Company
Mann Eye Institute, Houston, TX
Boston Consulting Group, Houston, TX
Pride International
Vestas Technology
Memorial Hermann Hospital, Houston TX
Serenade Restaurant, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Neo’s Architects, Houston TX
Triad Resources, Houston TX
Bailey’s American Grille, Seabrook, TX
Palantir Capital Management, Houston TX
Vineyard on the Square, Sugarland TX
Press:
Cadillac Spirit of Texas Honoree-Nicola Parente, KHOU (CBS) TV, Houston TX, 2011
Walsh Dominic, “The Shapes Time Makes”, Origin Art + Culture Magazine, July/August, 2011
Editors, Theatre Port, August 23, 2011
Walsh Dominic and Tsai Addie, “Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre”, Origin Art + Culture Magazine, May/June, 2011
Shiffler, Kendall, “Five Reasons to Visit Lower Oak Lawn this Weekend” Lower Oak Lawn, February 25, 2011
Copeland, Alex, “To The Edge” Dallas Observer, February 24, 2011
Moody, Cheryl, “Miami’s Satellite Art Fairs: Red Dot, Scope, & Art Miami, Kenton Magazine, January 2011
Glentzer, Molly, “Walsh goes on a limb”, Houston Chronicle, October 22, 2010
Hendley, Meghan, “Edge of Awakening”, KUHF, National Public Radio, Front Row (audio interview), Sept., 2010
Davis, Nolen, The Perfect Gentlemen, TV interview, September 2010
Holzer, Stacey , “Acoustic Vision at the Speed of Light”, Visualseen, September, 2010
Rumsey, Sarah, “Positively Parente”, Houston Modern Luxury, September, 2010
Glymph, Maria, “Nicola Parente is Wide Awake”, Crawford & Ria, September, 2010
Grinan, Jose, “Art from the Heart for the Heart”, Fox 26 Morning News, May 25, 2010
Thomson, Steven, “Righteous art bikes run through Discovery Green”, Culturemap Houston, March 23, 2010
Stephenson, Jenni Rebecca, “Washington’s Art Corridor”, RBlock 77007 Magazine, Winter 2010
Editors, “The Mushroom, of Course”, 002houston, January 2010
Siegle, Wendy, “Young Students Get Inspired by Art”, KUHF, National Public Radio, Front Row, December 24, 2009
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:
2011 2011 Cadillac Spirit of Texas Honoree, KHOU (CBS) TV, Houston TX
2010 Juror, Houston Art Colony Association for the annual Bayou City Arts Festival
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
2009 Juror, Houston Art Colony Association for the annual Bayou City Arts Festival
2008/09 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 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, juried exhibition, Harvey Bott, Juror)
Teaching Experience:
2010/2011 Writers in the Schools (WITS), Artist-in-residence, Houston, TX
2009 Menil Collection, WITS Artist-in-residence, Joaquin Torres-Garcia Project, Houston, TX
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
Scenic Design:
2011 Time Out of Line, Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre, Houston TX (Scenic design collaboration with Dominic Walsh and Tim Thomson)
2008 & 2010 Terminus, Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre, Houston TX (Video and painting installation)
Professional Affiliations:
Art Colony Association, Houston, Board of Trustees
Art Chatter Critique Group, Houston TX
Education:
M.B.A., 2004, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX
B.A., 1988, Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, PA