Carnegie Mellon University

Artwork by Gerry Florida's student

June 05, 2018

Transcending Tradition . . . One Artist's Journey from Art to Awareness

Gerry Florida is an award-winning assemblage artist 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 work carries underlying messages of rebirth, recovery and reclamation through an array of salvaged and recycled materials that she employs in her work. Her strong beliefs and philosophy are born from life experiences and multiple reinventions during recovery from a life of tragedy and dysfunction  Her intrigue with the “beauty of imperfection” has led her to work on behalf of at-risk populations locally and nationally fostering the belief that integrating failures, accepting limitations and embracing differences is the key to living in harmony with the imperfections surrounding us and  living in sync with the real world and the one we can create. Gerry teaches symbolically helping students to mobilize ideas, experiences and material resources to understand and incorporate the concepts of "empowerment" in their own lives, as well as inspiring the desire to survive despite failures that overshadow our right to a better understanding and self-acceptance. She teaches throughout the city with a special interest in working with at risk youth, special needs populations and seniors.

The 1-Day course is Gerry's collection of experiences, successes and failures through her personal journey that drives her passion to advocate for social justice through art.

“Reinvention of self, worth and beauty sometimes surface in versions that are far more interesting than the original…it is the life message she conveys through her work."