A sculptor born on the lower east side and raised in New York City, Irene Gennaro has been exhibiting nationally for more than 25 years. She has had 19 solo exhibitions, including The Trenton City Museum, the Washington County Museum of Fine Art and The Kentuck Museum. Recent exhibits of her work have been held in Asia. She is represented in Japan by Daiwa Gallery, Gifu City.

The daughter of a Sicilian stone carver, Gennaro’s father has been a potent creative influence in her life. As a second-generation carver, Gennaro bears witness to a unique cultural history that she has reshaped and made her own. "The sculptures I create arise from my dreams or day dreams. These images are, I believe harvested from the subconscious. It is a method of realization that surprises and delights me while generously nurturing my work." Transformed animals, symbols, momento mori, mythology and familial memories inform the essence of the sculptures.

Gennaro received a degree in Graphic Design from The City University of New York, and has studied at The School of Visual Arts, The New School for Social Research and The Brooklyn Museum Art School.

She has worked with children at Columbia Presbyterian’s Pediatric Neurology Clinic as part of an outreach program organized by The National Association of Women Artists. Gennaro is a member of several arts organizations including The Sculptors Guild, for 10 years where she serves as a member of the B.O.D.

In 2008 Gennaro was selected to participate in The “1st international openartresidency” Erétria, Greece. She was the recipient of a 2006 paid Fellowship from The National Academy Museum's Mural Workshop Program, NY. She has received The Bronze Casting Award from Polich Art Works in Rock Tavern, NY and eight awards from N.A.W.A. for carving and sculpture. Gennaro was invited and took part in, La Féte Internationale de La Sculpture de Saint-Jean-Port-Joly, Quebec, Canada's, Exhibition & Symposium 1994.

Gennaro's work was included in the 2009 exhibition “Memento Mori” at Morehead State University, curated by Eleanor Heartney. In 2006 her work was selected to appear in “Archival To Contemporary Six Decades of The Sculptors Guild,” Hillwood Art Museum, Brookville, NY. In 2003, The 8th International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition, organized by the University of Hawaii selected her work to be among the core group of sculptures chosen to travel for two years to 14 museums and universities in Asia and the US.

Gennaro contributed 18 sculptures to the 2007 exhibition at Stony Brook University's SAC Gallery NY. The College of Saint Elizabeth, NJ exhibited work from the recent “Impermanence” series. In 2008, 12 of her sculptures from the Ex-Votive series were shown at Cazenovia College in an exhibition curated by Prof. Jennifer Pepper. The exhibition was titled "earthlink.org." Also in 2008 Gennaro’s “Kore” was favorably reviewed from A.I.R.’s Generations exhibit by alicette at www.brooklynartproject.com

Sculptures by Irene Gennaro are included in private and permanent museum collections that include, The Trenton City Museum, NJ, The Washington County Museum of Fine Art, MD and Hillwood Art Museum, NY.

www.irenegennaro.com