Georgi Gelalles

Sculpture | Pastel / Charcoal | Oil | Mixed Media | Acrylic

Contact

Email Member

Biography

A native of Virginia, Gelalles moved at a young age to Cleveland, Ohio, where she spent the majority of her grade school years. When she was a teen, her family moved to St. Augustine, Florida, where Gelalles finished high school and went on to study painting and art history at Florida State University. At FSU, she completed her Master of Fine Arts, then relocated to New York City for additional opportunities to work in the field she loved. In NYC, Gelalles was initially employed in the photo lab of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). During this time, she continued to further her education, taking graduate courses at New York University and drawing and silk screen courses at the School of Visual Arts.

It was while living as an artist in New York that Gelalles discovered another passion. Between exhibiting paintings and accepting the occasional portrait commission, she also began teaching in New York City public schools. Upon moving back to Florida more than 25 years later, she decided to teach at the collegiate level. Gelalles currently instructs several art classes at Eastern Florida, such as drawing, 2-D design, 3-D design, watercolor, and art history. These classes are ideal for students looking to pursue an Associate in Arts degree, transfer into an art bachelor’s degree program, or simply explore their interests.

For members of the faculty, instructing classes coincides with mentoring and advising. When I interviewed Gelalles, it was clear that sharing her experiences with students and peers is her passion. She loves working with new and experienced artists, assisting with anything from drawing techniques to helping them exhibit their artwork. Several of her students have gone on to higher art education, as well as have earned art awards in the EFSC student shows.” Throughout her endeavors, Gelalles has never lost sight of art’s importance. “Visual art is a way of perceiving life, as well as a way of coping with personal as well as universal challenges,” she said. “It is a means of expressing one’s feelings and views of events, cultural wrongs, or the beauty of the environment. Helping another person gain strength in his or her artistic talents and skills is one of the greatest accomplishments a teacher can have.”