GERRY FLORIDA
CV / BIO / ARTIST STATEMENT
SELECT EXHIBITIONS 2007-2020
* The New Collective “WHAT HAVE WE DONE” / Pittsburgh 2019 / Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
*”As the World Falls Down” Exhibtion /Panza Gallery / Pittsburgh 2019
*Common Threads/ Carnegie Library / Crossing Limits, Pittsburgh, PA 2018
*Pittsburgh Society of Artists/ Artist’s Choice / Brew House Gallery /Pittsburgh, PA 2018
*”Mother” / Percolate Gallery / Pittsburgh, PA / 2018
*Artist Choice 2017/ Panza Gallery / Pittsburgh Society of Artists / Pittsburgh, PA
*The New Collective 2016, Pittsburgh Craftsmen’s Guild, Pittsburgh, PA
*Fifty First Annual 2016, Harlan Gallery, Seten Hill Gallery, Pittsburgh Society of Artists,
Greensburg, PA
*PSA Annuals, Pittsburgh, PA
*Artists Choice 2016, Panza Gallery, Pittsburgh Society of Artists, Pittsburgh, PA
*PSA Small Works, Framehouse Gallery, Pittsburgh PA
*Metropolis Collective Gallery, Mechanicsburg, PA
*New Collective, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA 2014
*Illusions, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
*Enough Violence: Artists Speak Out, Society for Contemporary Craft,
Pittsburgh, PA
Society for Contemporary Craft
*Hot Tea, Delmano Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
*Carnegie Trees, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
*Bra Day, Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
*Sanctuary, Panza Gallery, Millvale, PA
*PSA Annual, Fein Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Teapots! 5th Invitational, Morgan Contemporary Glass Gallery,
Pittsburgh, PA
*Deck the Walls, 707 Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Art Day, Fe Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Presidents Choice 100 for 100, 907 Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Lost and Found, Art Loft, Pittsburgh, PA
*Interplay, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh, PA
*New Members Exhibit, Borelli Edwards Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA,
*Holiday Mart, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Sewickley, PA
*Holiday Artist Fair, Westmoreland Museum, Greensburg, PA
*Collaborative Community Glass Project, Pittsburgh Glass Center,
Pittsburgh, PA
*Exchange, 937 Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Urban Dreams, Fein Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*World of Green on KDKA, Pittsburgh, PA
SELECT GALLERY, FAIRS AND BOUTIQUES AFFILIATES 2007-2016
*Percolate Purple Room, Pittsburgh, PA 2018
*A Fair in the Park, Pittsburgh, PA 2017
*A Fair in the Park, Pittsburgh, PA 2010- 2016
*3 Rivers Arts Festival, Pittsburgh, PA
*Mount Lebanon Plein Air 2014, 2016, Pittsburgh, PA
*International Images, Sewickley, Pa
*Bella Arte, Pittsburgh, PA
*Bella Arte, Midlothian,Virginia
*Dakota East, Pittsburgh, PA
*Gallerie Chiz, {Pittsburgh, PA
*3g Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Sky Blue Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Greensburg, PA
*I Made It Market, Pittsburgh, PA
*Pittsburgh Craft Collective, Pittsburgh, PA
*Pasqaulies Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*Society for Contemporary Craft, Pittsburgh, PA
*Patricia Boutique, Fox Chapel, PA
*Victoria, Fox Chapel, PA
SELECT FASHION EVENTS 2007-2016
*2017 Style Week / I’m Style “Fashion Meets Innovation ” Pittsburgh, PA
*2016 Re New Festival Fashion Extravaganza, Pittsburgh, PA
*Junky Kimono Fashion Show, Geek Art/Green Innovators (GA/GI) Festival.
Pittsburgh, PA
*Fashion FUZEion Fashion Show, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh, PA
*Out of the Heels of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Women Work, Pittsburgh Fashion
Week, Pittsburgh, PA
*Spring Hat Luncheon, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Caesars Designs,
Pittsburgh, PA
*The 12th Annual Ladies Luncheon and Fashion Show, Pittsburgh, PA
*Pittsburgh Symphony Fashion Show, Churchill Valley Country Club
Pittsburgh, PA
*Skyblue 7 Fashion Event, Pittsburgh, PA
*Anti-Valentine’s Day Benefit Fashion Show at Zen, Pittsburgh, PA
*Anti-Valentine’s Day Benefit Fashion Show at Altar, Pittsburgh, PA
*Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Fashion Show, Patricia Boutique, Pittsburgh, PA
*Gallerie Chiz Trunk Fashion Show, Pittsburgh, PA
*Ecolutions Earthday, Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh, PA
*Local Motions Designer Fashion Show 2008, Pittsburgh, PA
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION 2007-2018
*2020 JCJC Awards Program /Juvenile Court Judges Commission / Meritorious Service Award Nomination
* Juvenile Justice Week Award / October 2019
* “5th Annual Woman of Valor 2018” / Cornerstone Network
*City of Pittsburgh Proclamation / The Women of Achievement 2018
*13th Annual Women of Achievement Award / Cribs for Kids / 2018
*2017 “Unsung Heroes” Recognition / Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
*2016 Jurors Award/ The New Collective / Pittsburgh Center for the Arts,Pittsburgh PA
*2016 Community Citation of Recognition / Allegheny County Office of the
County Executive
*2016 Juvenile Detention and Alternative Programs Best Practices Award / Nomination, Pittsburgh, PA
2015 Shuman Juvenile Detention Staff Recognition / Arts Programming
*2015 County Commissioner of PA Best Practices State Award
“Juvenile and Detention Alternative Programs”, State College, PA
*2013 Sanctuary, Jurors Award, Panza Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA
*2013 “Women Champions” Recognition, Champion Enterprises and 5 Star Enterprises, Pittsburgh, PA
*2012 Nomination “Emerging Artist of the Year” Pittsburgh Center for the Arts / Pittsburgh, PA
*Aaronel deRoy Gruber Memorial Award, “101 Annual” / Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
*CBS Pittsburgh Featured Artist “Hot Local Eco Artist” 2011, Pittsburgh, PA
*KDKA “Best of Pittsburgh” 2010, Pittsburgh, PA
*Finalist / Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council “Work of Arts Award, “Individual
Working Artist”, Pittsburgh, PA
*Honorable Mention Award, Federal Executive Board, Native American Heritage
Committee Annual Exhibition, Pittsburgh, PA
TEACHING EXPERIENCE 2007-2018
*Society for Contemporary Craft/ Adult Workshops 2018
*Shuman Juvenile Detention Center Summer School 2018
*Shuman Juvenile Detention Center / Studio Blue / Facilitating Managing Artist 2016-present
*Furniture Exchange and Revamp Project / Shuman Center
*“Why Art” Billboard Project / Shuman Center
*Society for Contemporary Craft / Summer Camp Program 2018
*Carnegie Mellon OSHER Program 2018
*International Jewelry Gem Show / Pittsburgh, PA / Columbus, Ohio 2016
*American Association of Woodturners / International Symposium Workshop 2014
*Act 48 Teacher Certification Instructor / Continuing Education Professional
Development / Society for Contemporary Craft
*Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, Title 1, Allegheny County /
Award Winning Jewelry Arts Program
*Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, Allegheny County, Special Programs:
*Juvenile Detention Association of PA Annual Conference
*National Partnership on Juvenile Services Annual Conference
*National Partnership on Juvenile Services 21st Symposium / Adult Talisman Workshop
*Talisman Project / Enough Violence Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
*Talisman Project / Society for Contemporary Craft
*Talisman Project / Pittsburgh Public Schools
*Talisman Project / Duquesne University Social Justice Department
*Talisman Project, The National Partnership on Juvenile Services 21st Symposium
*Society for Contemporary Craft / Youth and Adult Workshops
*Museum School Partnership / Society for Contemporary Craft /
*Pittsburgh Public Schools / Residency/ South Brook Middle School
*Pittsburgh Public School Residency/ Woodland Hills Jr. High School
*Pittsburgh Public School Residency/ Woodland Hills Academy
*Pittsburgh Center for the Arts / Youth and Adult Workshops
*Carnegie Mellon University / Osher Programs / Senior Workshops
*Community College of Allegheny County / Youth and Adult Classes
*International Wood Turners Annual Conference / Lazer Arts Workshops /
*American Wood-Turners Association Annual Conference
*Federal Office of Training and Development, National Webinar: “The Benefits of
Arts Programming in Detention”
*International Jewelry Gem National Show / Adult Workshops / Pittsburgh, PA
*International Jewelry Gem National Show / Adult Workshops / Columbus, Ohio
*Intergalactic National Trade Gem Show / Adult Workshops
*Bead Mercantile National Trade Show / Adult Workshops
*Crystal Bead Bazaar / Adult Workshops
*Pittsburgh Society of Artists “PSA Café / Adult Workshops
*Irma Freeman Center / Youth Workshops
*Propel Charter Schools / Youth Workshops
*Home Schoolers of PA / Youth Workshops
*Spectrum Charter School / Special Needs Youth: Autistic / Private Instruction
*Spectrum Charter School / 2017
*Center for Creative Reuse / Adult-Youth Workshops
*Citizen Care / Pennsylvania of Family Caregivers / Special Needs
*Family Resources of Western PA / Youth Workshops
*Rankin Christian Center / Youth Workshops
*Discovery Youth Programs / Youth Workshops / Murrysville
*Knit One / Adult Workshops
*Turtle Creek Senior Center / Adult Workshops
*Wilkens School Community Center / Youth and Adult Workshops
*Mulberry Senior Center / Adult Workshops
*Rankin Christian Center / Adult Workshops
*Braddock Hills Senior Center / Adult Workshops
*Forest Hills Municipality / Adult Workshops
*Murrysville After School Programs / Youth Programs
*Murrysville Community Center / Adult and Youth Programs
*Penn Hills Municipality / Adult Workshops
*Forest Hills Community Center / Adult Workshops
*Monroeville Municipality / Adult Workshops
*Bethel Park Municipality / Adult Workshops
*Bethel Park Municipality Community Center / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Mount Lebanon Municipality / Adult and Youth Workshops
*South Arts / Adult and Youth Classes
*Jewish Community Center / Adult and Youth Workshops
*South Hills Area Home Schoolers / Youth Workshops
*Glass Classics Studios of Pittsburgh / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Marcel Glass / Adult Workshops
*Paramount Glass Studios / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Michaels Stores / / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Bead Design Academy / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Joanne Fabric Stores / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Pat Catan Stores / Adult and Youth Workshops
*Pittsburgh Society of Artist Workshops
*Society for Contemporary Craft
*Public Educational Speaker / Arts Advocate for At-Risk Populations /*
*Pitt School of Nursing / Workshop
*Private Instruction / Adult, Youth and Special Needs Classes
ARTIST TALKS AND ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION
* The 2020 National Conference on Juvenile Justice / National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges / Virtual Presentation
* I Too am Pittsburgh 2019 /Speaker Opening Reception
*Juvenile Justice Week Awards 2019 / Guest Speaker
* Osher / Lecture Series / Transcending Tradition / Carnegie Mellon University 2019
* The New Collective “WHAT HAVE WE DONE” / Pittsburgh 2019 / Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
*Osher / Lecture Series / Transcending Tradition / Carnegie Mellon University 2017
*KQV / Elaine Effort / KQV / Award Winning Arts Program
*Grant Recipient / Craftsmen’s Guild 0f Pittsburgh / 2017
*Artist Talk / Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh / 2017
*Artist Talk / New Collective / Pittsburgh Center for the Arts 2016
*Society for Contemporary Craft Heart of Craft Video
*Artist Talk / New Collective / Pittsburgh Center for the Arts 2014
*Artist Talk / Enough Violence / Society for Contemporary Craft
*Out of Hand / Annual Fundraising Event / Society for Contemporary Craft
*Heart of Craft Fundraising Luncheon / Society for Contemporary Craft
*National Webinar: The Importance of Arts Programming In Juvenile Detention
Webinar is hosted by the National Center for Youth in Custody (NCYC), the National Training and
Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC), created by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention (OJJDP), and coordinated by the National Partnership for Juvenile Services (NPJS).
In Partnership with the National Partnership for Juvenile Services
SOCIAL MEDIA
*Pittsburgh Society of Artists Gerry Florida
*Pittsburgh Society of Artist Facebook
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & RELATED POSITIONS
*South Arts, Executive Director
*South Arts, Education Director / Creative Program Development
*Shuman Juvenile Detention Center/ Resident Artist / Facilitating Artist/ Managing Artist / Special
Community Programs / Title I Instructor
*United Way of Southwestern PA, Corporate Training and Development
*United Way of Southwestern PA, Corporate Division Director / National Corporate Leadership
* United Way of Southwestern PA, Public Speaker
* Paramount Glass Studio, Head Designer
* Marcel Glass Studio, Head Designer
* Glass Classics Studios, Head Designer
* ASCAP, American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers
VOLUNTEER MISSIONS
*Board of Directors / Pittsburgh Craftsmen’s Guild
* Spectrum Charter School
* Carnegie Mellon / Osher Programs
* Shuman Juvenile Detention Center
*Vista / Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
BENEFIT EVENTS / CONTRIBUTIONS
* Steel City Rollers
* Haute Pittsburgh
* Pittsburgh Conservancy Hat Luncheon
* Pittsburgh Symphony East
* Craftsmen Guild of Pittsburgh
* Mt Lebanon Plein Aire Market
* Cribs for Kids
AFFILIATED GUILDS
* Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
* Pittsburgh Craftsmen’s Guild
* Pittsburgh Society of Artists
* Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
STUDENTS: PRESS, AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS
*“Meet the Kids Who Defied the Odds” Pittsburgh Parent Magazine / January 2021
*Pittsburgh Parent Magazine Steam Award 2018
* Whirl Magazine 2018
* Jeffrey Smith Studios / Jewelry / Whirl Magazine
* Carnegie Library Labsy Awards / Student Recognition / Lindsey G
* Senator Doyle Statewide Student Art Exhibition Recognition /Xaire M.
* Shuman Juvenile Detention Center Student Exhibitions:
- Enough Violence / Society for Contemporary Craft / Pittsburgh, PA /2013
- Allegheny County City County Building / Pittsburgh, PA / 2014
- Metropolis Gallery / Mechanicsburg, PA / 2014
- JDCAP State Annual Conference / Pittsburgh, PA /012, 2015
- Women In Corrections Conference / Pittsburgh, PA / 2015
- National Partnership on Juvenile Services 21st Symposium / Pittsburgh, PA / 2015
- Shuman Center In house Exhibition / Pittsburgh, PA /
ABOUT THE ARTIST / BIO
I call myself a recycle artist reclaiming the “unsalvageable” to create what I describe as “paintings with beads.” As the former owner of Florida’s Estate & Jewelry Gallery, I satisfied my jewelry passion by collecting extraordinary estate pieces, many of which influence my designs. In my role as head designer of Paramount Glass Studios, Marcel Glass and Glass Classics Studios of Pittsburgh, I nurtured my fascination for glass and light. Apprenticing under some of the areas top glass designers, I witnessed the rebirth of the glass art as it transitioned into a contemporary purpose to include commercial, residential as well as religious design.
In 1998 a life altering environmental accident disabled me from working in the glass media I most loved. My challenge became finding a meaningful vocation that could combine my need to effect change in environmental awareness while incorporating my personal mission into my work. Realizing the importance of environmental factors on health, I converted to advocate for green living; practicing environmental awareness in my life and art. As a former National Corporate Division Director of United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, I was already on board with many missions. This along with my creative ability fueled my passion to reinvent or “recycle myself” to develop a home-based jewelry design business with a conscience.
Always in the process of recreating my art identity, I combined my passion for jewelry, art, glass and antiques to develop an eclectic mixed media style using vintage and contemporary beads and findings as well as salvaged objects to create inspiring one of a kind eco-friendly jewelry pieces. I recognize that I am a chronic ”junk junky” scouting for antiques, collectibles and interesting new and used components to use in my recycling art. Surrounded by a vast and continually growing inventory, I search for “anything on the planet” conducive to stringing or wiring to create my pieces… employing a collection of contemporary, new with used materials in an eclectic fusion of mixed media wearable art I fondly distinguish as “Funkified Junk”. I unify color, mass and life experience while infusing new life and dimension into each salvaged ingredient, developing a line of jewelry that preserves the integrity of once abandoned objects. Each jewelry piece is uniquely designed and meticulously handcrafted using no toxic materials with no parts wasted.
My ongoing life-long recovery offers insight into the many challenges confronted by those met with trauma, tragedy and disability. I want to share my philosophy with all populations particularly those who are forced to face what seem insurmountable hardship. My hope is that my experience and insight will spark passion in their own lives and enable them to integrate rather than deny negative experiences to develop a worthy, seasoned and viable identity. I have learned from my own experience and art that I am a “Master of Imperfection”, creating beauty from the “unnoticeable” …. which parallels my life philosophy that our true beauty lies in the imperfections in life.
My personal beliefs keep much of my teaching community accessible, teaching through community based profit and non-profit organizations with particular interest in working with seniors, children, disabled and at-risk juvenile populations. My work with at-risk youth populations has enriched the lives of my students as well as my own.
I derive my greatest inspiration from my ultimate creation, my daughter Sasha, my business partner and an artist in her own right.
– Gerry Florida
BIO
Gerry Florida is an award-winning assemblage artist and social justice advocate who refers to herself as a “Master of Imperfection”. Her creations deliver underlying messages of rebirth, recovery and reclamation through an array of salvaged, recycled and contemporary materials that she employs in work. Her intrigue with the “beauty of imperfection” has led her to work on behalf of at-risk populations locally, statewide and nationally fostering the belief that integrating failures, accepting limitations and embracing differences is the means to living in in harmony with the real world and the one we can imagine and create.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Gerry Florida‘s intrigue with the “beauty of imperfection” has led her to work on behalf of at risk populations locally and nationally to include seniors, disabled and delinquent youth. Her work exemplifies her philosophy employing salvaged, imperfect as well as vintage and contemporary materials in a blend that trademarks her style and design. Gerry ‘s philosophy transcends her teaching style inspiring at risk populations who struggle with recreating resilient identities that embrace both the successes and failures of life to reclaim their right to succeed despite the failed histories that once defined them.
ARTIST STATEMENT / 101 ANNUAL- ASSOCIATED ARTISTS OF PITTSBURGH
Aaronel DeRoy Gruber Memorial Award Winner
It was July 1958 and blinking Christmas tree lights spread their luminosity throughout the Pee-Wee Herman like room in time with 12 cuckoo clocks simultaneously striking the hour - barely dominating the sound of the Russian gypsy music amplified in the background. Each room of the house was generously peppered with animated oddities; like the musical toilet seat who’s masterfully nail-polish painted face winked a sultry "good day!" with her one opened blue eye. My eccentric Holocaust survivor Russian-French-Jewish mother salvaged sanity by creating a multi- sensory world saturated in fantasy, sound, and colorfully displayed whimsical objects that softened reality and drowned out the demons of experience. And me, well I am the product of this intriguing upbringing; resurrecting beauty by rescuing abandoned objects weathered by life’s encounters- to create color filled fanciful wired objects/oddities that incite curiosity and tease the imagination.
– Gerry Florida
I’m a jewelry artist & a professional imperfectionist living in harmony with the deficiency surrounding us. My work is the alteration of expectation & purpose.
Gerry Florida