Brian Nettles was born and raised in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He studied Architectural Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi until he took his first ceramic class and was hooked for life. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Ceramics and Sculpture.

After graduating in 1996, he worked in Atlanta, Georgia making large-scale outdoor sculpture. In 1997 he returned to the coast of Mississippi and rented studio space in Pass Christian. There he founded Nettles Studios, a ceramics and sculpture studio, as well as a showroom. During this time Brian also was hired as the Studio Director of Ceramics at the Ohr- O'Keefe Museum of Art, in Biloxi, Mississippi. As the Studio Director he set up the pottery program and taught ceramic classes, curated ceramic exhibitions, directed ceramic workshops, designed the residency program. Brian also worked with famed architect Frank Ghery in designing the ceramics complex of the new thirty million dollar museum.

In 2000 Nettles Studios was growing and Brian purchased 28 acres on the Wolf River, just north of "The Pass". There he camped out while he designed and hand built his home, studio and kilns, but keeping the foundry and showroom in downtown. During this time Brian also traveled to Japan on several trips and visited the six ancient kiln sites where he studied the art of wood fired pottery. He returned from his experiences in Japan to the Wolf River location and built a 28 foot long wood-fired Anagama kiln.

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina came ashore with a 35-foot tidal surge in The Pass and washed everything Brian had built away. Since the storm, with help from friends and family, Nettles has started to rebuild his house, studio and kilns at his Wolf River Studio. Although Brian will not rebuild his showroom in downtown, he does plan on a showroom and sculpture park at the Wolf River Location in 2008/2009.