Text about one's work and achievments parallel the artist's studio practice. The reflective process of assembling a resume, revising bios and writing about the work helps  ideas to evolve. These documents are always in progress. Included  here are a photo of my studio, insights of what I and others have written recently,  a Narrative Biography, Artist & Curator Essays, and Reviews.

I've always loved birds. No matter what happens in the world, I continue to find solace in their presence.  I watch for them, listen to their conversations and trust that nests will continue to be made, baby birds will be born, and one day leave those nests.  Birds continue to find a place in my paintings.
 

 

After my father died, my mother handed me a stack of his funeral cards and said, "Why don't you make something from these?"  The cards honor his name (Gino Pierleoni, so close to mine), birth/death dates and the images and religious practice that was important to him.  I wondered whether there would be a point during the alteration process when these religious figures might no longer be considered sacred. As the images transformed from Jesus, Mary and the Saints to become regular people, the images remained sacred.

The LED Board, across from Baltimore's Penn Station, projects artwork 51 feet high providing an opportunity for artwork to be visible for miles. 

This video, part of a series called “Motivation on Mondays”, was filmed and edited by Myles Banks of Just Stunt Productions.  Our conversation happened inside the exhibit "Gina Pierleoni: Untitled Flag.

Installation shots show paintings flat on the wall and  wrapped around architectural elements.

Names often reflect key aspects of our character. My last name, Zaruba is an old Czech name that loosely translates as 'he who splits wood with an ax'. As Allen means harmonious, then I am the happy woodcutter. Yet, years before I discovered this, I was intuitively drawn to wood as a creative expression, even during the 20 years when painting was my principle medium.

These book projects add to a catalog of artwork that advocates for water ecology.
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​Heart Beating Beneath the Earth, 2023
11" x 8.5", 86 pages, paperback book. Independently published with support from a grant via Maryland State Arts Council

 

This garden gate was commissioned by a Bolton Hill neighbor and installed at their beautiful garden. The setting created a challenge. They wanted to maintain their present chainlink fence posts, so the gate had to be designed to accomodate out-of-plumb posts in order to function - to open and close smoothly. It all worked out thanks to the engineering help from Paul Daniel.

Montgomery County Department of Parks & Recreation runs this gorgeous botanical garden in Wheaton, MD. A great place to visit! http://www.montgomeryparks.org/brookside/

They commissioned 4 works from me - a gate, a canopy,  a bench and an entrance piece. The gate, canopy and bench. The gate and canopy are what is shown here and were funded through the Montgomery County Parks Foundation. The entrance is waiting for a donor!!!

Photography by John Dean