Darryl POTTORF
1952, USA
1952-72
Born Darryl Richard Pottorf on July 16th, 1952 in Cincinnati, growing up in the rural area just outside the suburbs allowed Pottorf to explore the wooded areas and creeks of the conservative mid-western community. The second child of Pauline Hatte and Richard Pottorf, a building contractor. Richard Pottorf, provided a comfortable upper middle class lifestyle for his family. Pottorf has two siblings, older sister Jennifer Benton (born 1950) and younger brother Kevin Pottorf (born 1962)
At an early age Pauline allows Pottorf and older sister Jennifer to study dance. Pottorf develops a love for dance and attends classes into young adulthood. As the son of a builder he learned a sense of proportion and the intricacies of construction at an early age. In his room he would do sketches and drawings. As soon as he is old enough Pottorf begins working alongside his father, and saving for college.
In 1966 the family moved to Fort Myers, FL., where Pottorf graduates high school, cum laude from Fort Myers High School in 1970. Pottorf enters Edison Community College in the fall of 1970 and receives Associates in Arts Degree (conferred in 1972). During the summer of 1971, at the age of 19, Pottorf fulfills his dream of traveling to Europe to see the great cities, especially Florence Italy. Pottorf goes on to visit 7 countries.
Never losing his love for dance Pottorf enters the University of South Florida, Tampa as a dance major in fall of 1972, and also studies art and art history. When denied enrollment to advanced art classes (reserved for students majoring in art) he changed his major and transfers to Florida State University in 1974. After a few semesters Pottorf learns of an Art and Art History program at a Florida State Campus in Florence, Italy. He returns home to work and save enough money to study and returns to Florence, entering the program.
1976-79
At FSU in Florence he studied art, architecture and creative writing traveling throughout Europe whenever the possible; participates in Etruscan acheological dig outside of Florence, and works as a research assistant to author Dr. Fred Licht for his book Goya and The Modern Tradition. Pottorf returns to Florida briefly in 1977 earning money to pay for his education and living expenses in Florence.
Summer 78: Pottorf returns to Florida and later receives his Bachelor of Arts, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida. Pottorf’s savings are spent and he returns to working construction with his father.
Fall: First Stage production working as a scenic artist for a production of Lady In The Dark, by Gershwin and Hart, directed by J. Dean McMahon, Arcade Theater, Fort Myers, FL.
From 1978 – 86 Pottorf finds work designing sets for theatre and dance as well as the Edison Community College Theatre Dept., completing and executing designs for thirty-five productions, winning critical acclaim most notably for: The Shadowbox, by Michael Cristofer, Port Charlotte Memorial Auditorium, Port Charlotte, FL, produced and directed by Mark Pace in 1981 and in April 1984, Indians by Arthur L. Kopit, Doris Corbin Auditorium, Edison Community College, Fort Myers, FL, produced and directed by Richard Westlake.
1980
Fall: Takes print making class under the direction of Robert Peterson, Edison Community College, Fort Myers, FL. Peterson later asks Pottorf to assist Gemini G.E.L. (Graphic Editions Limited). print publishers from Los Angeles, with a project being printed at the college for the Robert Rauschenberg William Burroughs collaboration, American Pewter with Burroughs I-VI.
1981
Fall: Joins a group of Fort Myers artists renting studio space in the Richard’s Building, downtown, Fort Myers, Florida, and begins a series of works titled Constructions, made of mixed media, utilizing many of the techniques and materials learned while working in the theatre.
1982
Robert Rauschenberg has Pottorf assist with his Kabal American Zephyr Series (Rauschenberg began in 1981) and execution of “The First 400 Feet or More than ½ a Furlong” of Rauschenberg’s monumental ¼ Mile or 2 Furlong Piece. Pottorf continues contributing to “the ¼ Mile” until 1996.
Fall: Darryl P. and Bette V. New Works, Richards Building, Fort Myers, FL, an “in studio” exhibition featured Pottorf’s earliest works of mixed media Constructions, using techniques and materials discovered while working as a set designer, also incorporating his appreciation of architectural elements and proportions. He continues working on this series until 1988.
Nov: Greetings from Florida the ‘Beautiful’, Beach Art Association, Fort Myers Beach, group show, Pottorf’s work includes Constructions and paintings.
1983
Designed and constructed First Home on Sanibel Island, Florida. With his father's assistance Pottorf is able to acquire property being unable to pay for labor; he builds the home by himself. Moving in on Dec 24, the house is furnished with a mattress on the floor made up with borrowed bed linens and a vase of white roses. His finances completely depleted, Pottorf closes his studio in Fort Myers and sets up studio space in his new home.
Assists Rauschenberg with the setting for Set + Reset, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Premieres Oct. 20th at the Next Wave Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, NY.
1984-90
Jan: Apprenticed Silk Screen production with Larry Wright Assisted Robert Rauschenberg on Salvage Series. Rauschenberg begins work on R.O.C.I. (Rauschenberg Overseas Culture Interchange). Rauschenberg's 8 year, peace-seeking art odyssey that visited and exhibited in 11 countries. Working with local artisans and indigenous materials, Rauschenberg created works to introduce one culture to another and to celebrate their differences. One work was given to each country visited, including Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, Tibet, China, Japan, Cuba, the former USSR, Germany and Malaysia. He also donated works from each venue to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, where ROCI/USA also was featured in a finale exhibition in May 1991.
Pottorf ‘s work on R.O.C.I. (1984-91) includes assisting with execution of the art for all of the venues and provides him the opportunity to travel beginning with Cuba in 1988, taking his camera he begins photographing in every country he visits compiling imagery that he later uses as his palette for his Lexan paintings.
R.O.C.I eventually leads to Pottorf becoming Rauschenberg’s chief studio assistant in the early nineties (to 1998). Pottorf begins traveling with Rauschenberg and working on most of his projects including Gluts, Urban Bourbon, Shiner, and Galvanic Suite series and print projects at Gemini G.E.L., Saff Tech at the University of S. FL. and ULAE (Universal Limited Art Editions), Pottorf also takes over managing the business and assisting with installations, working directly with the galleries and museums.
May 1985 9 Artists/Briefly Exhibition at B.I.G. (Barrier Island Group) Arts, Sanibel Island, FL, and Captiva Memorial Library, Captiva, FL
Sells his home on Sanibel and begins construction of his second home in Fort Myers. Unconstrained by the financial restrictions he had building his first home, Pottorf builds a sprawling southern style home that incorporates existing oak and palm trees in an elaborate garden surrounding the home.
Summer of 85: Traveled to Europe to complete a project of Gluts for Rauschenberg, while there Pottorf previewed Galerie Jamileh Weber for a possible Rauschenberg exhibition.
December 1986: Weber visits the Rauschenberg studio to plan for his exhibition and is impressed by Pottorf’s work, and encourages him to continue working. Eventually offering him an exhibition with Rauschenberg in 1993.
Summer 1988: Working with his sister Jennifer Benton establishes Arts for ACT auction to benefit abused women in SW Florida. Initially the auction drew about 200 attendees and only the work of local artists; the present day event has been hosted by celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Lilly Tomlin and Meryl Streep and raises over $400,000. Pottorf contributes art and assists with procuring work from major artists and finding celebrity talent annually. This is the first of Pottorf’s many philanthropic endeavors he continues to the present.
Fall: 1988: Group Exhibition, Edison Community College Gallery of Fine Arts, Fort Myers, FL
Spring: 1989 Collaborated with Rauschenberg on the design of his new residence, Captiva, Florida
Summer: Begins work on the Eclipse series. These paintings were created using highly polished aluminum and black marine enamel. The paintings have a smooth shiny surface that has a textured and amorphous quality. Although the paintings have the appearance of poured paint Pottorf exercises control over the texture and shape by layering the paint and waiting hours for it to dry between layers. The Eclipses were rarely shown outside the studio, but have received much critical attention from collectors, artists and art historians that have seen them. At the first showing in 1990 a local critic with a background in quilting denounced the works as child like. Pottorf was devastated by the review and stopped exhibiting for the next 2 years, but continued working on the series until 1991.
Designed Rodney Schmitt residence, Fort Myers, Florida. Collaborated with the design of Rauschenberg Studio Complex, Captiva, Florida.
1991-93
Spring: Needing larger studio space than is available in his Fort Myers home, Pottorf sells his house in Fort Myers and begins designs for the ultra modern Pottorf Studio on Captiva Island; completed in 1992.
Summer: Pottorf (working with artist Lawrence Voytek) learns a new transfer technique using a chemical process to transfer toner images onto lexan. Pottorf perfects the process allowing him to introduce narrative by using imagery in his work; he has resisted transferring images in deference to Rauschenberg’s iconic stature in this technique. The first toner transfer on lexan and paper are a transition from the Eclipse paintings, large pieces of lexan with transferred black and white photo images hang on dowels in front of polished aluminum replacing the poured marine enamel with images collected during his travels.
Oct: 1992: Pottorf, Yoder, Holt, Contemporary International Museum of Art, Buford, GA., the exhibition includes Lexan and Toner on Paper
April 1993: Robert Rauschenberg, Darryl Pottorf, Galerie Jamileh Weber, and Zurich, Switzerland. Pottorf’s Eclipse and Lexans.
Art Fair: Basel Art Fair, Art 24’ 93 Basel, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
Pottorf and Laurence Getford learn to print using an Iris large format printer. Using prints made by Getford, Pottorf experiments developing the transfer process for Rauschenberg.
1994
June: Pottorf and Rauschenberg attend the Bienale in Venice, Italy d’Adelaina von Fürstenberg suggests Rauschenberg and Pottorf collaborate for the Art For the World exhibition during the 96 Bienale. The collaboration leads to another set of paintings (Winter Quattro Mani) and 2 print projects at Gemini G.E.L. (LA Quattro Mani and Quattro Mani Marrakech). While at Gemini Darryl produces a set of prints titled The Moroccan Series.
July: Darryl Pottorf: Recent Paintings, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland, the work includes Lexan paintings with a series on Mona Lisa, the image of the famous portrait is transferred to paper with Pottorf’s photographic images covering her on the translucent lexan resulting in a seamless blending of the modern and classical.
Aug: Commissioned by the City of Fort Myers, Department of Cultural Affairs to design a poster for Take Issue: The Parsons Project, David Parsons Dance Company performance to benefit the City sponsored New Arts Festival.
August: Works on Paper, Gallery of Fine Art, Edison Community College, Fort Myers, FL, works consist of toner transfers on paper.
Dec: Darryl Pottorf Eric Holt, Gallery of Fine Art, University of Texas, El Paso, TX, exhibiting with sculptor Eric Holt, Pottorf works include Toner On Paper
Art Fairs: Art 25’ 94 Basel, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich; Art Cologne, Köln, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
1995
February 15th, Pottorf’s father loses his battle with cancer at age 67
Fall: Designed Viva building for Marvin Gralnick Gallery, Captiva, Florida, built in the middle of the small island “village.” While under it construction the building was thought to be an eyesore, however after completion the modern structure fit well into the island environment and became a landmark building until it’s destruction by new owners in 2005.
Illy Café, commissions Pottorf to design "Bus Stop" a collection of espresso & cappuccino cups for the Amici Collection.
November: Foe Pottorf Holt Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Gallery of Fine Art, Edison Community College, Fort Myers, FL, Pottorf exhibits Toner works on Paper.
February 1996: Enlightenment, Group Exhibition, Lee County Alliance of the Arts, Fort Myers, FL. Pottorf participates annually until the exhibition is cancelled by the Alliance in 1999.
April: Darryl Pottorf by Jamileh Weber, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich Switzerland.
June 22 Quattro Mani, Arts for the World, Monastero Mechitarta dell’Isola di San Lazzaro degli Armeni, Venice, Italy Rauschenberg and Pottorf works realized in collaboration.
Aug: Dog Days, Miramar Gallery, Sarasota, FL featuring prints, paintings and sculpture of dogs.
Dec: Rauschenberg-Pottorf Winter Works, Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Naples, Fl. The exhibit consists of Lexan and Winter Quattro Mani paintings.
May 1997: Darryl Pottorf at Jamileh Weber, Quattro Mani – a collaboration with Robert Rauschenberg Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
1998
Fall: With the advent of less expensive large format printers Pottorf begins experimenting working in color, using vegetable dye transfers from an Encad printer. The first series is Sirens, using imagery from Ephesus and Morocco. The “canvas” is made by laminating archival paper to a thin piece of wood (door skin); after the imagery is transferred the work is covered with a UV (Ultra Violet) archival coating. When Pottorf discovers problems with the lamination process he replaces the door skin with a building material called alucabond or polylaminate.
March: Pottorf-Recent Work, Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL,
April: Pottorf – New Work Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich Switzerland,
Spring: Quattro Mani LA Uncovered Gemini G.E.L. Print Studios, Los Angeles, CA, (1999-2000)
Oct 20: Quattro Mani LA Uncovered (a Collaboration with Robert Rauschenberg), Gemini at Joni Moisant Weyl, New York, New York
Sept 9: A.C.O.R. Gagosian Gallery, New York, New York, group exhibition to benefit Association of Cancer Online Resources
1999
During 1999 Pottorf begins the Clause series. The Clause paintings are long horizontals that may be hung in a corner with part of the painting on two different walls. The paintings measure approximately 24 inches X 15 to 24 feet. The long narrow paintings are made up of 24” to 30’ wide panels.
April: In Colors- New Paintings, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
May: Pottorf, Siren Series, & Rauschenberg & Pottorf ; Lunar Quattro Mani a Collaboration, Butler Museum of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio
May: Pottorf & Rauschenberg Recent Works, Trumbull Museum of Contemporary Art, Youngstown, Ohio
Fall: Recent Work Art Club of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Nov: Pottorf- New Work, Buschlen Mowatt, Vancouver, Canada
Feb: Darryl Pottorf in Bloom Eckert Fine Art, Naples FL
March: Preview Marrakech, Gemini G.E.L. Print Studios, Los Angeles, CA, (1999-2000)
Summer: Art Sans Frontieres, Dubai, UAE, Art project to benefit children’s charities
2000
Spring: Pottorf begins the Foresight series. The 6’ X 6’ square paintings have a square hole in the center. The images convey a cohesive composition with the empty square in the middle pulling the viewers eye back into the center of the work, only to roam across another part of the large canvas. Once when asked about the hole in the center of his painting Pottorf responded, “I’m really a minimalist, I just like fancy frames”.
Feb: New Works, Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL
March: Two By Two for Aids and for Art, Christie’s, Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, TX, a benefit for AIDS/HIV also participates in 2001.
March: Darryl Pottorf- Recent Works, Chac Mool Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
April: In Colors - New Paintings, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
July: Darryl Pottorf A Perspective, Marcel Sitcoske Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Fall: Drawings and Photographs, Matthew Marks Gallery, New York, NY, Benefit for AMFAR
August: Darryl Pottorf, Robert Rauschenberg and Darryl Pottorf: Four hands Evansville Museum of Art, Evansville, IN, works for Darryl Pottorf include Lexan and Siren paintings. Robert Rauschenberg and Darryl Pottorf: Four Hands included Quattro Mani.
Sept: A Night in Morocco, Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, CA Quattro Mani Marrakech & Moroccan Prints
Sept: Quattro Mani Marrakech & de Marra Kech, Joni Moissant Weyl, New York, NY
2001
Jan: Rauschenberg & Pottorf: Prints, The Ralls Collection, Washington DC
March: Foresights, Eckert Fine Art,
March: Foresights Sundarum Tagore Gallery Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acquires Moroccan Prints
September: True Colors: Meditations on the American Spirit, currated by Meridian International following the attack on September 11th. Asked to submit work for the exhibition Pottorf travels to New York in October to photograph scenes of the city and ground zero. Pottorf also acquires photographs from firefighter Jonathan West and begins work on his 9-11 series. Ground Zero is selected for the exhibition and is subsequently acquired by the Library of Congress.
2002
Spring: New works, Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL
Fall: New works, Clark fine Art, South Hampton, NY
Feb: True Colors: Meditations on the American Spirit, Center, Washington, DC The National Arts Club, New York, NY, Topaki Palace, Istanbul, Turkey, Cancaya Cultural Center, Ankara, Turkey SunTrust Plaza Gallery, Atlanta, GA, The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, FL, The Robert and Mary Montgomery Armory Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL The Allied Museum, Berlin, Germany, Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, Northern Ireland, Ormeau Baths Gallery, Belfast, Northern Ireland, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana, Albania, Danubiana Gallery, Bratislava, Slovakia, The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza, Dallas, Texas, The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art, Biloxi, MS The tour spans several years ending in 2004.
2003
Begins the Open Windows series using discarded windows from a renovation project on Captiva. The paintings incorporate imagery from Pottorf’s travels around the world, the series is based on a quote Pottorf credits to actress Jodie Foster, “sometimes it is better to pass on by an open window.”
Jan: Darryl Pottorf New Works, Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL
Jan: Art for Life: To Benefit Lee Memorial Trauma Center, Lee County Alliance of the Arts, Fort Myers, FL
Feb: Darryl Pottorf: A Perspective, Leo Castelli Art Gallery, John S. Burd Center for Performing Arts, Brenau University, Gainesville, GA, exhibition includes Lexan paintings.
Feb: Quattro Mani, Presidents Gallery, Brenau University, Gainesville, GA, works include Venice and Winter Quattro Mani Paintings and LA and Marrakech Quattro Mani Prints by Gemini G.E.L.
Feb: Darryl Pottorf 20 years, Bob Rauschenberg Gallery, Edison College, Fort Myers, FL, exhibit features work spanning 20 years.
Nov: Darryl Pottorf New Works, Weber Fine Arts, Scarsdale, NY
Nov: Darryl Pottorf New Works, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
2004
Aug: Studio and home on Captiva destroyed by hurricane Charlie. Rebuilding is slow; Pottorf is not able to move back in until November of 2006. Most of his imagery is destroyed as well as many photographs and materials documenting his history. Fortunately, all of the art is saved.
August: September 11 Remembered, Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT, group exhibition including Pottorf’s The Face of September 11th.
2005
May: Rauschenberg/Pottorf/Rauschenberg Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, Univ. of Louisiana at, Lafayette, LA, Pottorf exhibits with long time friend and collaborator Robert Rauschenberg and his son Christopher.
Sept: Rauschenberg/Pottorf/Rauschenberg, Herron School Of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana
2006
March: Rauschenberg/Pottorf /Rauschenberg Jepson Center for the Arts, Telfair Museum, Savannah, GA March: Darryl Pottorf a Perspective, Galerie Terminus, Munich the exhibit includes work from the early 2000’s.
May: Darryl Pottorf a Perspective, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich
2007
Pottorf begins work on two new series: Capri Astray and Experiments in Consequences. The Capri series uses images from a past trip to the island. The Experiments began with a set of seven paintings using an athletic image of the human form. Pottorf repeats the athletic image within five of the paintings. The fifth painting contains the image of a sailboat with a spinnaker sale billowing in the wind; the effect of the set creates a perceived change within the repetition of the images. Pottorf later expands the concept of the series, primarily using imagery from Valencia, Spain.
Jan: New Work, Eckert Fine Art, Bonita Springs, Fl, New Paintings Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland,
Dec: Art Basel Miami, International Art Exhibition, Miami, FL; Gemini G.E.L, Galerie Jamileh Weber
2008
March: Institut Valencia d’ Art Modern (IVAM), Valencia, Spain, Muralla Salon; Darryl Pottorf "Experiments in Consequences"
April: Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland; Darryl Pottorf "Paintings"
June: Galerie Jamileh Weber, Basel, Switzerland Art | 39 | Basel
Sept: Eckert Fine Art Connecticut, Kent, CT; Darryl Pottorf
"Connecticut Choices"
Dec: Art Basel Miami, International Art Exhibition, Miami, FL; Gemini G.E.L, Galerie Jamileh Weber
2009
May 15, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland; Darryl Pottorf “Uncaged”
Galerie Jamileh Weber, Gemini G.E.L., Basel, Switzerland, Art | 40 | Basel
Dec: Art Basel Miami, International Art Exhibition, Miami, FL; Gemini G.E.L.
2010 March 11, Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland; Darryl Pottorf “Paintings”
May 14- June 26, The Naples Museum of Art, Naples, FL; "Florida Contemporay” Exhibition
June 16-2, Gemini G.E.L., Galerie Jamileh Weber, Basel, Switzerland;
Art | 41 | Basel
October 7, - November 21, Sellar's Gallery, Brenau University Gainsville, GA; "Links"