CV/Bio
Biography
Debra Kaszovitz attended Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida as a University Fellowship recipient (one of ten across all university departments). She graduated with an MFA in Studio Art with honors. After graduation, she continued to pursue and exhibit her sculpture while also teaching at the Art Institute of Atlanta. In 2000, she was awarded an artist's residency at The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, where she maintained a studio for two years. The Contemporary was the center of a thriving emerging artist scene in Atlanta and provided many opportunities to connect with other artists and the public. During this time, Debra received a commission for a large permanent work for the Hartsfield Atlanta Airport, was a finalist for the Forward Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award, and also had multiple works purchased for the Florida Art in State Buildings program. However, Debra and her newborn twins suffered a medical crisis in 2004 that required her to serve as the twins' primary caregiver and advocate through the crisis and a 6 year period of intensive therapy.
Debra decided to seek further recovery by moving back to South Florida, an area of profound inspiration for her work because of the uniqueness of the ecosystem. Debra continues to develop her work as a member of Studio 18 in the Pines (a group of juried artist studios in Broward County) and is now exhibiting her work again. Her recent work focuses on the birds that flourish and survive despite having been marginalized in South Florida by urban development.
Recent Exhibitions:
2011
The Fine Line and We Got Dumped -- Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, FL
Drawn from Experience -- Studio 18, Pembroke Pines, FL
(Review and images of my work from these shows both in the New Times and Sun Sentinel:
http://tinyurl.com/62pthc6 (New Times)
http://tinyurl.com/6zew9f3 (Sun Sentinel)
2010
Studio 18 Grand Opening Exhibition -- Pembroke Pines, FL
Past Exhibitions:
Transforming -- Eyedrum Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia
Contemporary Artists from Florida -- City Hall, Aventura, Florida
Lost Spaces, Found Places -- Eyedrum Gallery, Atlanta Georgia (solo show)
Crossing Over -- City Gallery East, Atlanta, Georgia
New Works, New Media, Regional Invitational -- Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, Georgia
Out there/In Here -- The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia/Alabama Biennial -- Albany Museum of Art, Albany, Georgia
Import/Export -- Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
Sea Change -- Emory Museum gallery, Atlanta, Georgia (solo show)
The Shape of a Color -- Callenwolde Fine Arts Center, Atlanta Georgia (solo show)
Boca Museum's 45th Annual All Florida Exhibition -- Boca Raton, Florida
Selected Collections:
Hartsfield Atlanta Airport Art Program, Atlanta Georgia
Binney and Smith (liquitex paints), Easton, PA
State of Florida Permanent Art Collection, Miami-Dade and Alachua County, Florida
The Nautilus Foundation, Lloyd, FL
Articles
Studio 18 in Pembroke Pines: Artists' Studios are Gem by Michael Mills, The New Times, May 12, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/62pthc6
New Pembroke Pines exhibit provides a 'reflection' of artists' lives by Chris Guanche , The Sun Sentinel, April 02, 2011 http://tinyurl.com/6zew9f3
Gone But Not Forgotten by Catherine Fox, The Atlanta Journal Constitution
Sculptor Puts Colorful Spin on Loss by Jerry Cullem, The Atlanta Journal Constitution
