THENATESHOW
Education
MFA 2012 Expanded Media University of Kansas
BFA 2007 Drawing Northern Illinois University (cum laude)
Work History
2015-2016 Sculptor and Design Associate, NatureMaker Inc., Carlsbad, CA
* Tree sculptor
2014-2015 Handyman at Renovation Innovation, Raleigh/Durham, NC
* Remodling houses, basic construction.
2015 Created diorama for Fagen Fighter's WWII Museum, Granite Falls, MN
* Hand carved a coral reef environment with foam, epoxy, and concrete.
* Responsible for design, construction, and completion of the 3-D elements.
* Project duration 4 1/2 weeks.
2013-2014 Imagery Specialist, Bass Pro Shops
* Worked on a traveling team responsible for the creation and design
of the interior of the Bass Pro Outdoor World stores.
* Sculpted, carved, and painted foam and epoxy to create numerous nature
dioramas. Including rocks, trees, dirt banks, snow, and one glacier.
* Communicated closely with the Imagery Manager, other Imagery
Specialists, contractors, and muralists in the development and
completion of ongoing dioramas.
* Harvested branches, grasses, and deadfall for diorama installation.
* Installation of flora and fauna.
* Operation of scissor lifts, boom lifts, and various power tools.
* Contracted through Bass Pro to work on the Wonders of Wildlife Museum's shipwreck scene, which included mold making and hand carving
various coral, barnacles, and giant clams.
* Worked on the NRA History of Firearms Museum in the Springfield, MO location.
* Responsible for maintaining and purchasing supply list.
* Learned what it was like to work in a fast paced environment and to do whatever it takes to meet store opening deadlines.
2009-2012 Laborer for Horticulture and Landscaping Division, City of Lawrence, KS
* Planted and cared for trees, bushes, and flower gardens.
* Gained an understanding on the nature of plant growth.
2012 Teaching Assistant at the University of Kansas, Installation Art
* Aided the instructor in running certain projects.
* Helped students learn editing software, composition of installations, and lighting.
2011-2012 Expanded Media Lab Assistant at the University of Kansas
* Problem solver with video and sound editing software and devices.
* Managed equipment checkout.
2011 Teaching Assistant at the University of Kansas, Drawing II
* Taught a stop-animation project.
* Photographing work.
* Aid in drawing techniques and critiques.
2008 Park Maintenance in DeKalb Park District, IL
* Planted and cared for flower gardens, trees.
2007 Art Apprentice at Golan-Liberman Contemporary Art, Rockford, IL
* Learned activities that run a gallery (media-public relations,
installation of art, cataloging work).
1998-2004 Tree Farmer at Sinnissippi Forest Inc, Oregon, IL
* Shearing trees, painting trees, pruning trees.
* Operating tractors and trailers.
* Customer service.
* Learned the nature of tree growth and their basic anatomy.
Solo exhibitions
2015 Creature Feature Roundabout Art Collective Raleigh, NC
2012 In Bloom Teller's Lawrence, KS
2012 Microcosmical Art and Design Gallery Lawrence, KS
2007 Life Allusions Pleasant St Galleries DeKalb, IL
Group exhibitions
2015 Group Show Carteret Contemporary Art Morehead City, NC
2014 100 Under 1000 Lee Hansley Gallery Raleigh, NC
2014 To: From: Visual Art Exchange Raleigh, NC
2011 Akasa Vajrapani SEAMUS National Conference Miami, FL
2011 Installation Group Exhibition Art and Design Gallery Lawrence, KS
2010 Akasa Vajrapani Lied Center Lawrence, KS
2010 Sweethearts of the Studio Art and Design Gallery Lawrence, KS
2010 Nature's Matrix Spooner Hall Lawrence, KS
2009 Scholarship Exhibition Art and Design Gallery Lawrence, KS
2009 Prairie Fire Red Pearl Gallery Kansas City, MO
2008 Group Show Roy Boyd Gallery Chicago, IL
2008 The Artist Project Merchandise Mart Chicago, IL
2008 12" x 12" The Art Center Highland Park, IL
2008 Polish Connection Nehring Center DeKalb, IL
2008 In Our Defense Rising Sun Studios DeKalb, IL
2007 BFA Show Jack Olson Gallery DeKalb, IL
2007 Art School Confidential 33 Collective Gallery Chicago, IL
2007 Art Battle/Fall Art Fiasco NIU Campus DeKalb, IL
1st place
2007 Ground Up Shoe String Gallery DeKalb, IL
2007 Ars Nova Student Exhibition Jack Olson Gallery DeKalb, IL
Juried by Cam Choy, 2nd place
2007 NIU Group Show Fine Arts Academy Katowice, Poland
2006 Grassroots Bluedoor Gallery DeKalb, IL
2006 Ars Nova Student Exhibition Jack Olson Gallery DeKalb, IL
Juried by Roger Shimomura
Bio/Summary
Nathan Hoffman's work grows from a reverence to the landscape and the notion of creation. The endless textures, fractals, and colors of the earth continue to inspire him. The process he works with is just as much in tune with how the outside world is created and transformed; by water, pressure, heat, chance, repetition, and time.
After graduating from the University of Kansas in 2012 with his MFA, Nathan worked as an Imagery Specialist for Bass Pro Shops travelling from New York to Colorado to Alaska building large scale nature dioramas. It was an opportunity to build things much larger than he ever had before, and an opportunity to expand his knowledge of materials and construction. Since 2015 Nathan has been sculpting full size trees for NatureMaker Inc. He has lived in northern IL for most of his life, as well as Lawrence, KS, Springfield, MO, Tucson, AZ, Raleigh, NC, and now lives in Southern California.