Darryl Pottorf

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)

1952–1972

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.

1952–1972

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.

1952–1972

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.

1976–1979

At FSU in Florence he studied art, architecture and creative writing traveling throughout Europe whenever the possible; participates in Etruscan archeological 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.

1976–1979

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.

1976–1979

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.

1976–1979

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.

1981

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.

2002

Spring: New works, Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL

2002

Fall: New works, Clark fine Art, South Hampton, NY

2002

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.”

2003

Jan: Darryl Pottorf New Works, Eckert Fine Art, Naples, FL

2003

Jan: Art for Life: To Benefit Lee Memorial Trauma Center, Lee County Alliance of the Arts, Fort Myers, FL

2003

Feb: Darryl Pottorf: A Perspective, Leo Castelli Art Gallery, John S. Burd Center for Performing Arts, Brenau University, Gainesville, GA, exhibition includes Lexan paintings.

2003

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.

2003

Feb: Darryl Pottorf 20 years, Bob Rauschenberg Gallery, Edison College, Fort Myers, FL, exhibit features work spanning 20 years.

2003

Nov: Darryl Pottorf New Works, Weber Fine Arts, Scarsdale, NY

2003

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.

2004

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.

2005

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.

2006

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.

2007

Jan: New Work, Eckert Fine Art, Bonita Springs, Fl, New Paintings Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland,

2007

Dec: Art Basel Miami, International Art Exhibition, Miami, FL; Gemini G.E.L, Galerie Jamileh Weber

2008

June: Galerie Jamileh Weber, Basel, Switzerland Basel Art Fair

2008

Sept: Eckert Fine Art Connecticut, Kent, CT; Darryl Pottorf

2008

Dec: Art Basel Miami, International Art Exhibition, Miami, FL; Gemini G.E.L, Galerie Jamileh Weber

2009

May: Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland; Darryl Pottorf "Uncaged"

June: Galerie Jamileh Weber, Basel, Switzerland Basel Art Fair

Assisted Robert Rauschenberg

Studied art and psychology Edison College

B.A. in art and art history Florida State University

Studies Florence, Italy

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"