Gina D’Emilio is an artist and art educator whose repetitive use of colors and motifs serve as a reflection of the cycles of stress in the body. Gina D’Emilio was born in 1987 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She grew up on the ancestral land of Leni Lenape in the Neshaminy Woodlands surrounded by wooded forests of oak, green pine, and evergreen trees. Unbeknownst to her mother and father, the house they purchased was infested with termites. She experienced negative events and toxic stress as a child while living in a home under construction. As the seasons changed, she developed her sensitivity to anticipate new threats and detect changes in existing ones.
Her most recent works are part of an ongoing series–which she started in 2020–called Safe For The Moment. Through various drawing, printing, and painting processes, D’Emilio generates the source material for her final works. She uses materials like reflective paper that shifts from warm to cool, to mimic symptoms of gradual and sudden mood changes and she layers bold fluorescent and phosphorescent paints to focus attention on areas of calm or chaos. D’Emilio’s narrative around redefining peace and emotional safety informs her research on disrupting harmful patterns generated by fear and anxiety.
D’Emilio holds an MFA in Studio Art from Moore College of Art & Design and a BA in Art Education from Holy Family University in Philadelphia, PA. Her work has been shown in galleries internationally, including a recent group exhibition at Zona Maco Art Week (Mexico City, MX), hosted by Proyectos De Residencia (PRPGMX), and online with Artsy.net for imPosible with Dab Art Gallery. Recent group exhibitions have been hosted online with Jen Tough Gallery, Deanna Evans Projects in New York, and Toula Gallery. D’Emilio’s work is published in a fairytale titled Beautiful Foot, written by author Nora Novak, and is a featured artist in the Artists of the Bay Area book published by Jen Tough. D’Emilio currently lives in San Francisco and teaches art education in Menlo Park, California.
EDUCATION
2013 MFA in Studio Art, Moore College of Art & Design
2010 BA in Art Education K-12/Studio Art, Holy Family University
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
Refusés of the Bay,” Voss Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2022
#IRL Incubator Artists in Residency @PRPGMX Mexico City, MX
2021
Zona Maco Art Week, Dab Art, Mexico City, Mexico April 24-June 5
Flat File, Deanna Evans Projects, New York, NY
Artsy.net imPosible, Proyecto Galería Y Proyectos De Residencía, Mexico City, MX, curated by Micheal Swank April 24-June 24
2020
Fragments, Arc Gallery, Juried by Jen Tough, San Francisco, CA
Muse, Toula Gallery, Online
Snap!, Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Flat File, Deanna Evans Projects, New York, NY
2016
“Faculty Art,” Residence Gallery, Bryn Mawr, PA
2015
"Databody,” Galleries at Moore, Philadelphia, PA
2014
“Inspirational Artistry Now,” Residence Gallery, Bryn Mawr, PA
2013
“MFA Thesis Exhibition,” Levy Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2012
“MFA Sneak Peek,” Goldey Paley Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
“Moore College Group Show,” Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland
“NASAD MFA Qualifying Review,” Widener Memorial Foundation Gallery, PA
“Art Extravaganza,” Ukrainian League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
“New Hope Arts Center Sculpture Show,” New Hope Arts Center, New Hope, PA
2011
“Naked in New Hope,” Sidetracks Art Gallery, New Hope, PA
2010
“Naked in New Hope,” Sidetracks Art Gallery, New Hope, PA
“An International Women's Day Exhibition,” International House, Philadelphia, PA
2009
“Girls Gotta Run,” Holy Family University Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
“WHYY-TV 12's Creative Campus Arts Festival,” WHYY Technology Center, PA
“Naked in New Hope,” Sidetracks Art Gallery, New Hope, PA
2008
“SEPCHE Honors Conference,” Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA
SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2019
"How Endings Begin," Life, San Francisco, CA
"New Work," Life, San Francisco, CA
"ArtSpan Open Studios," Artist’s Home Studio, San Francisco, CA
2019
"Lower Haight Art Walk," Life, San Francisco, CA
2018
"Lower Haight Art Walk," Life, San Francisco, CA
2017
"Lower Haight Art Walk," Life, San Francisco, CA
2010
“Growth,” Holy Family University Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2008
“Featured Artist,” Face and Body Spa, Yardley, PA
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2021 Proyectos De Residencia, Mexico City, MX, Virtual Residency
2020 Proyectos De Residencia, Mexico City, MX, Virtual Residency
2012 Burren College of Art, Newtown Castle, Ballyvaughan, Ireland
PUBLICATIONS
2021 Artists Of The Bay Area, Published by Jen Tough
2020 Beautiful Foot, Published by Nora Novak
2013 Book of Burren, Moore College of Art & Design
LECTURES
2020 “Fragments Artist Talk,” Arc Gallery
2013 “One Way Communication,” Moore College of Art & Design
FILM & DOCUMENTARY
WHYY Creative Campus
CURATORIAL
2012 “Art Extravaganza,” Ukrainian League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
HONORS AND AWARDS
Artist-in-Residence Fellowship, (2012), Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA
Studio Art Fellowship, (2011-2013), Moore College of Art & Design, Philadelphia, PA
Above and Beyond Award, (2010), Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA
Alumni Senior Award, (2009), Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA
Presidential Merit Scholarship, (2008), Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA
Athletics Scholarship, (2007/2008), Holy Family University, Philadelphia, PA