Walking at the ocean’s edge, listening to the movement of the sea, smelling the salt air, feeling the ocean breeze, and the sand beneath my feet, following the tideline, the world slips away and I become joined to creation and filled with a sense of wonder. The shells call out to me, the shapes, colors, and textures catch my eye and spark a memory, an idea, an experience. I take it all back to the studio where they become inspirations and subjects for my work.
Artist and educator at heart, a skilled creative, passionate about paint.
Jeri knew by fifth grade she would be an artist. She majored in drawing and painting and earned a B.F.A from Florida Atlantic University. Jeri always thought she would continue her formal education; however, life took another direction. She grew a wonderful family and settled into art education.
After college and a few years of being a snowbird she settled in south Florida where she worked as a painter and art educator. Jeri has been honing her skills in painting and sharing her knowledge with students for over 30 years.
Her watercolor paintings of shells gained recognition in local and national exhibitions. Jeri’s watercolors have been accepted into many prestigious exhibitions and has had one women exhibitions in various venues and won awards.
Drawn to seashells, her favorite subject, they unify her with nature and the mysteries of creation. The variations and beauty of seashells represent the beauty of the human spirit. Like the Wabi-Sabi philosophy, when something suffers, is damaged, or has history it becomes more beautiful and authentic. The beauty of the shell’s complexity and simplicity, combined with their permanent presence in the natural world make them a limitless subject matter for painting and an excellent metaphor for the human condition. Jeri’s beach scenes and shell paintings work to enhance and bring attention and awareness to the beautiful and fragile ocean environment and our lives.
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When turning her focus to art education she taught all age levels and venues. As a classroom art teacher, she received the Florida Art Education Secondary Art Educator Award. Teaching art skills to others has brought insight into her work and allows her to challenge and push herself with the medium and subject matter. An experienced administrative professional Jeri held director positions as Education Director Old School Square Cultural Art Center, and Art Camp Director Armory Art Center and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens. She is always working to foster relationships through art and entrepreneurship to create strong and sustainable communities. While Education Director at Old School Square Jeri wore many hats. She worked bringing school children to the site for programs in the museum and theatre serving close to 8,000 K- 12 students per year. She developed workshops for teachers and ran the art school serving between 300 - 400 students with 20 adult art classes. One of the highlights took place In the children’s gallery at the Cornell Museum, where she created a life size interactive book installation in collaboration with Palm Beach County Library Families Reading Together Program and Palm Beach County School District Family Literacy Department, The Colors of Us, A Walk through Lena’s Neighborhood and David’s Drawings. Using art education to create fun and interdisciplinary projects was one of Jeri’s exceptional qualities she brought to her teaching. At St. Juliana the art club students, with her guidance created a 30-foot inflatable whale where the older students created and read whale stories to the younger students inside the belly of the whale. They also made life size teepees in the courtyard, painted them with Native American symbols, and used the teepees in the Kindergarten’s Thanksgiving feast. At Wellington high school the National Art Honor Society and Art Club students assisted Jeri in developing, organizing, and running the Wellington Chalk Art Festival which became the event the students and faculty looked forward to each year. |
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Art & Employment Highlights
Solo Exhibitions
City Hall Lobby, GardensArt, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
crescent beach Art Gallery, St. Augustine, FL
Lighthouse Center for the Arts, Tequesta, FL
West End Fine Arts, West Palm Beach, FL
Earth Art Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, FL
Small Group/Two - five person Exhibitions
Court House Cultural Center, Martin County Council of the Arts, FL- 5 person
The Casements, City Cultural and Civic Center, Ormond, FL - 5 person invitational
Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, West Palm Beach, FL – 4 person
Palm Beach State College, Art Gallery at Eissey Campus, Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 3 person
Group Exhibitions
Alliance for the Arts, 37 Annual All Florida Exhibition, Fort Myers, FL
Riviera Beach Marina Event Center, World Oceans Day Art Exhibit, Riviera Beach, FL
Arts Warehouse, WAVES climate & art exhibition, Delray Beach, FL
Armory Art Center, various art exhibits, West Palm Beach, FL
Roaring Artist Gallery, Powerful little things, Online gallery
Town of Jupiter Community Center Art Gallery, various art exhibits, Jupiter, FL
Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, Educators and Artists, Lake Worth, FL
The Box Gallery, Heart Exhibit, West Palm Beach, FL
Loxahatchee Visions 9th Annual, Loxahatchee, FL
Art on Park Gallery, Portraits Exhibit, Lake Park, FL
Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Garden, Ormond Beach, FL
Moran Gallery, Artserve, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Peter Drew Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
National Art Education Association Exhibit, Washington, VA
New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ
Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
Coastal Center for the Arts, St. Simons Island, GA
The Society of the Four Arts, 53 annual National Exhibition of Contemporary American Paintings
Deland Museum of Art, Florida Watercolor Society, DeLand, FL
D-Visual Arts Center, Southwestern Watercolor Society, Dallas, TX
Boca Raton Museum of Art, 33 Annual Florida Competitive Exhibition, FL
Florida Art Education Association Virtual Art Exhibit - numerous, Florida
Awards and Scholarships
Florida Art Education Secondary Art Educator Award 2022, Florida Art Education Association
Advanced Placement Institute, SCAD, Atlanta, GA
Leadership Delray Program - Delray, FL
Florida Humanities Council Teacher Institute - Florida’s Cultural Landscapes, Tampa, FL
Honorable Mention 9 Annual Loxahatchee Visions, Boynton Beach, FL
Third Place Women in the Visual Arts Exhibition, Eissey Theatre Lobby Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
First Place Portrait Exhibit Artist Palm Beach County, Lake Park, FL
Award of Merit Wellington Painting Competition, Palm beach Cultural Council Award
First & Second Place Watercolor & Second Place Multi-Media WXEL Art Auction, Boynton Beach, FL
First Place Oil YMCA Art Auction, West Palm Beach, FL
Public Art & Corporate Commissions & Collections
Outside the Box Phase 2, Palm Beach County Art in Public Places
West Palm Beach City Hall
Artine Artinian of Palm Beach Self-portraits
The Gardens regional mall, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Florida Catholic Conference Administrators Conference
Boys & Girls Club Palm Beach County Public Art Event & Fundraiser - U.S. Trust Wild Things & Gators Galore
Brown Distributing Company, Mural - West Palm Beach, FL
Community Foundation of Martin & Palm Beach Counties, FL
Chapin, Balerano & Cheslack, Attorneys at Law, Delray Beach, FL
Kitchen Savant, Inc, Jupiter, FL
One Touch Destination Consultants, Inc. Edwards, Co
In You Wendo Design, Smyrna, GA
Articles & Publications
Lehigh Acres CITIZEN, Alliance for the Arts receives record breaking 720 submissions for 37th All Florida Exhibition
Southwest Florida happenings Arts & Entertainment Magazine, Annual All Florida exhibit opens March 3 at Alliance for the Arts
Town Crier Wellington, editor, WHS Art Teacher Featured at Several Shows
The Palm Beach Post, Laura Lordi, Teachers’ work in ‘Harmonious’ exhibit.
Culture Magazine Palm Beach County Cultural Council
The Florida Catholic, Arlene Spagna - Teacher conveys diversity of life in her paintings
Patriot News, Sandy Cullen - Exhibit haunted by Images
The Palm Beach Post, Gary Schwann - Artists at Home
Daily News, Palm Beach, Chris Hunter - Art Camp
Curatorial
ARTSPEAK: beyond - words a collective of the members of Palm Beach County Art Teachers Association
Carousel Memories: A History of the American Carousel, Cornell Museum, Old School Square
Kids for Peace Pilgrimage Traveling Student Art Exhibit - 11 Catholic schools from Diocese of Palm Beach to four locations - to share their faith and message of peace with the public through works of art in collaboration with Mary Anne Foundation Kids for Peace Pilgrimage
Post Cards on the Edge, Moran Gallery, Artserve, Ft. Lauderdale - multi-faceted, multimedia event.
Workshop Presenter
Florida Art Education Association - Plein Air Ponte Vedra & Keeping it FRESH: Watercolor techniques for the classroom & beyond, Celebrating differences from behind the mask
Norton Museum of Art, Sunday Family Program, Size Matters and Colossal Collage
VSA Arts Festival, Kravis Center
Palm Beach Diocese - Integrating Curriculum & National Art Standards
Business/Employment
Jerilyn Brown Fine Art - converted two car garage home studio, sells work directly in person or through this website.
Wellington High School Secondary Art Teacher - taught 2-D level 1 - 4 and Advanced Placement Art and /Design. National Art Honor Society Sponsor and Art Club.
Old School Square Cultural Arts Center Education Director, Delray Beach
St. Juliana Catholic School Pre4 - grade 8 Art Instructor, taught 2 & 3 dimensional art curriculum
Seaside Park Boardwalk owner/operator - seasonal amusement business, Seaside Park, New Jersey
Palm Beach County School of the Arts, Artist in Residence painting instructor, West Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach County Community Education - adult painting classes at various high schools Palm Beach County, FL
Okeeheelee Nature Center - Plein Aire drawing instructor, West Palm Beach, FL
Adjudicator
Florida Art Education Association Member's Virtual Exhibition & K-12 Student Art Assessment & Virtual Exhibition
Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Art Awards - grades 6 - 12
ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival, N.P.B. Chamber of Commerce - entry juror
Delray Affair, Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce - awards juror
Professional Organizations
Palm Beach County Cultural Council
National Art Education Association
Florida Art Education Association
Palm Beach County Art Teachers Association
Florida Watercolor Society
Southern Watercolor Society
Solo Exhibitions
City Hall Lobby, GardensArt, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
crescent beach Art Gallery, St. Augustine, FL
Lighthouse Center for the Arts, Tequesta, FL
West End Fine Arts, West Palm Beach, FL
Earth Art Gallery, West Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, FL
Small Group/Two - five person Exhibitions
Court House Cultural Center, Martin County Council of the Arts, FL- 5 person
The Casements, City Cultural and Civic Center, Ormond, FL - 5 person invitational
Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, West Palm Beach, FL – 4 person
Palm Beach State College, Art Gallery at Eissey Campus, Palm Beach Gardens, FL - 3 person
Group Exhibitions
Alliance for the Arts, 37 Annual All Florida Exhibition, Fort Myers, FL
Riviera Beach Marina Event Center, World Oceans Day Art Exhibit, Riviera Beach, FL
Arts Warehouse, WAVES climate & art exhibition, Delray Beach, FL
Armory Art Center, various art exhibits, West Palm Beach, FL
Roaring Artist Gallery, Powerful little things, Online gallery
Town of Jupiter Community Center Art Gallery, various art exhibits, Jupiter, FL
Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, Educators and Artists, Lake Worth, FL
The Box Gallery, Heart Exhibit, West Palm Beach, FL
Loxahatchee Visions 9th Annual, Loxahatchee, FL
Art on Park Gallery, Portraits Exhibit, Lake Park, FL
Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Garden, Ormond Beach, FL
Moran Gallery, Artserve, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Peter Drew Gallery, Boca Raton, FL
National Art Education Association Exhibit, Washington, VA
New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ
Art Center Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
Coastal Center for the Arts, St. Simons Island, GA
The Society of the Four Arts, 53 annual National Exhibition of Contemporary American Paintings
Deland Museum of Art, Florida Watercolor Society, DeLand, FL
D-Visual Arts Center, Southwestern Watercolor Society, Dallas, TX
Boca Raton Museum of Art, 33 Annual Florida Competitive Exhibition, FL
Florida Art Education Association Virtual Art Exhibit - numerous, Florida
Awards and Scholarships
Florida Art Education Secondary Art Educator Award 2022, Florida Art Education Association
Advanced Placement Institute, SCAD, Atlanta, GA
Leadership Delray Program - Delray, FL
Florida Humanities Council Teacher Institute - Florida’s Cultural Landscapes, Tampa, FL
Honorable Mention 9 Annual Loxahatchee Visions, Boynton Beach, FL
Third Place Women in the Visual Arts Exhibition, Eissey Theatre Lobby Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens, Fl
First Place Portrait Exhibit Artist Palm Beach County, Lake Park, FL
Award of Merit Wellington Painting Competition, Palm beach Cultural Council Award
First & Second Place Watercolor & Second Place Multi-Media WXEL Art Auction, Boynton Beach, FL
First Place Oil YMCA Art Auction, West Palm Beach, FL
Public Art & Corporate Commissions & Collections
Outside the Box Phase 2, Palm Beach County Art in Public Places
West Palm Beach City Hall
Artine Artinian of Palm Beach Self-portraits
The Gardens regional mall, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Florida Catholic Conference Administrators Conference
Boys & Girls Club Palm Beach County Public Art Event & Fundraiser - U.S. Trust Wild Things & Gators Galore
Brown Distributing Company, Mural - West Palm Beach, FL
Community Foundation of Martin & Palm Beach Counties, FL
Chapin, Balerano & Cheslack, Attorneys at Law, Delray Beach, FL
Kitchen Savant, Inc, Jupiter, FL
One Touch Destination Consultants, Inc. Edwards, Co
In You Wendo Design, Smyrna, GA
Articles & Publications
Lehigh Acres CITIZEN, Alliance for the Arts receives record breaking 720 submissions for 37th All Florida Exhibition
Southwest Florida happenings Arts & Entertainment Magazine, Annual All Florida exhibit opens March 3 at Alliance for the Arts
Town Crier Wellington, editor, WHS Art Teacher Featured at Several Shows
The Palm Beach Post, Laura Lordi, Teachers’ work in ‘Harmonious’ exhibit.
Culture Magazine Palm Beach County Cultural Council
The Florida Catholic, Arlene Spagna - Teacher conveys diversity of life in her paintings
Patriot News, Sandy Cullen - Exhibit haunted by Images
The Palm Beach Post, Gary Schwann - Artists at Home
Daily News, Palm Beach, Chris Hunter - Art Camp
Curatorial
ARTSPEAK: beyond - words a collective of the members of Palm Beach County Art Teachers Association
Carousel Memories: A History of the American Carousel, Cornell Museum, Old School Square
Kids for Peace Pilgrimage Traveling Student Art Exhibit - 11 Catholic schools from Diocese of Palm Beach to four locations - to share their faith and message of peace with the public through works of art in collaboration with Mary Anne Foundation Kids for Peace Pilgrimage
Post Cards on the Edge, Moran Gallery, Artserve, Ft. Lauderdale - multi-faceted, multimedia event.
Workshop Presenter
Florida Art Education Association - Plein Air Ponte Vedra & Keeping it FRESH: Watercolor techniques for the classroom & beyond, Celebrating differences from behind the mask
Norton Museum of Art, Sunday Family Program, Size Matters and Colossal Collage
VSA Arts Festival, Kravis Center
Palm Beach Diocese - Integrating Curriculum & National Art Standards
Business/Employment
Jerilyn Brown Fine Art - converted two car garage home studio, sells work directly in person or through this website.
Wellington High School Secondary Art Teacher - taught 2-D level 1 - 4 and Advanced Placement Art and /Design. National Art Honor Society Sponsor and Art Club.
Old School Square Cultural Arts Center Education Director, Delray Beach
St. Juliana Catholic School Pre4 - grade 8 Art Instructor, taught 2 & 3 dimensional art curriculum
Seaside Park Boardwalk owner/operator - seasonal amusement business, Seaside Park, New Jersey
Palm Beach County School of the Arts, Artist in Residence painting instructor, West Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach County Community Education - adult painting classes at various high schools Palm Beach County, FL
Okeeheelee Nature Center - Plein Aire drawing instructor, West Palm Beach, FL
Adjudicator
Florida Art Education Association Member's Virtual Exhibition & K-12 Student Art Assessment & Virtual Exhibition
Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Art Awards - grades 6 - 12
ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival, N.P.B. Chamber of Commerce - entry juror
Delray Affair, Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce - awards juror
Professional Organizations
Palm Beach County Cultural Council
National Art Education Association
Florida Art Education Association
Palm Beach County Art Teachers Association
Florida Watercolor Society
Southern Watercolor Society