Not that I’m counting, but to date, my collections of early pinball machines, bagatelles and games is now 56 years old. I remember the first one I found and where… There used to be a regular Sunday flea market in Hadley, Mass. One day, while searching amongst the many items for sale, I found a pinball game (Bagatelle #31) that the vendor was clinging to. When I asked how much she said “I don’t know if I want to sell it.” I let her know that this piece would be in my my own personal collection, and I promised her I would keep it - not sell it. Had that idea not come to me at that moment, who knows when my pinball and games collecting would have begun.
My collections have been oddities. People generally collect things that are trendy - like old kitchenware, robots, or dolls. Instead, I was collecting early flashlights, brushes and brooms, and one-of-a-kind, weird objects. I was a mad scientist of collecting. Often things belonged to a particular collection simply because I said so.
My collecting has been integral to my art practice. It influenced or even became directly incorporated into my painting, drawing, print making and collage. Out of this evolved my alter ego; the artist Unique Frédérique, who worked with many of these found objects
One of the most difficult things artists must do is let their works go, but they ultimately have no choice. The old saying, “you can’t take it with you,” is the hard fact that runs through this exhibit. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has helped or participated. And a special thanks to Dean Brown for making this show possible.
I’m like a hardened fisherman who now believes in catch and release. - DEAN NIMMER
I met Dean Nimmer, aka Dean no. 1, aka Arch Nemesis Dean, or as he likes to refer to himself , ‘better looking Dean’ back in 2013 at the Hadley Flea Market. I was selling off my collections during a big life transition, and he scooped up a bunch of my drawings. Over the next few years we would bump into each other at the flea market. He was like me, obsessed with a wide range of items.. ephemera, signs, found & folk art, crazy quilts, bagatelles, carvings, garden seeders, books, games, brushes, whirligigs, cameras…you name it, he might buy it. He was quite a sight at 5am in the dark with his headlamp, disheveled, crazy hair, and sharp elbows. I recognized a kindred spirit even if I kept a distance.
He invited me to participate in the Highland Hardware Store Exhibit, which led to an invitation to his home where any wall I had put up to get close to this man crumbled.
At the time, I had lost a close family member, about Dean’s age, also an inveterate obsessive collector. Seeing the beauty and depth of No. 1’s collection and his excitement over things actually moved me to tears. That is when I learned that while Dean may be cantankerous at times… he is all jelly inside.
At the first meeting at the flea market, Dean bought from me a 1920’s high school notebook with dozens of beautiful illustrations done by a remarkable student. He went on to turn these pages into his art, some of which are in this show. And Dean, ever the teacher started me on my obsession with drawing on old ledger books and journals. We find family when we least expect it. The biggest lesson Dean has taught me is to stay open, find your passion, and play. Beauty is all around us. It is in all of us. We just need to let it out.
The items in this show were collected from Dean’s home over a two week period of daily visits. I hunted through piled up boxes, closets, drawers, and his very full basement studio. I am grateful for this time I had with Dean. I love this tough old dude.
Mr. Nimmer has exhibited his art in over 200 solo and group exhibitions across the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia since he began his art career in 1970. His musical career started in 1967 when Chess Records released their self titled album The Baroques, a psych rock band in which Dean played drums. His artworks are in the collections of the Boston MFA, DeCordova Art Museum, Smith College Art Museum, Harvard University and many others. He has taught art all over the world… Japan, England, China, CT, NY, and of course Massachusetts where was best known as Emeritus Professor and former Chairman of the Painting and Printing Program at the Massachusetts College of Art. He has also published ‘Creating Abstract Art, Ideas & Inspiration for Passionate Art Making’ in 2014, And ‘Art from Intuition’, 2008.
Too many awards and fellowships to fit on this page so I won’t.
Finally there is Unique Frederique. He does not have as many honors. But he is known far and wide. Long live Unique.
- Dean Brown