GERARD CALISTE
Houston, Texas
2021-2022 Scholarship New York School of Art
Mini-Grant 2015
Grant 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019
Gerard Caliste is a painter and mixed media artist who describes his organic process as coming from his subconscious. With this scholarship, Caliste will spend a month at the New York School of Art continuing his multi-media series titled Innercityindacity in which post-consumer goods are utilized and transformed. Caliste notes that recycled materials are both practical and promote “awareness of the value of this planet and its resources which (are) essential for our very survival.”
Caliste’s goal is to connect the world through his work which is about global humanity. He is sending a message to the globe through his individual quest of creating with post-consumer goods. As a teaching artist, Caliste strives to commit his spare time to his creative practice. “During this pandemic our usual opportunities for professional development outside of Houston or in person have been limited only to teaching. This program will directly allow (the) continuation of my objective by going into deep depth of my work…My desire to go into the center of the art world for a month can be a educational and crucial step in my goal to create full time all the time.”
Caliste attended Savannah College of Art and Design as a presidential scholar and earned his BFA in 2001. He founded ge.Cali Studio Gallery in The Heights neighborhood in Houston in 2019. His work has been exhibited at Winston Contemporary Art Gallery and MidMain Gallery in Houston, Lois Lambert Gallery of Functional Art in Santa Monica, Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator in Miami, The Historic New Orleans Collection, Contemporary Arts Center, and Prospect.1 and Prospect. 4 satellite exhibitions in New Orleans. Caliste has been an artist in residence at Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator and the Betsy Hotel Writers Room in Miami, FL. His work is in many notable collections including private collections of A-list celebrities.
Gerard Caliste was active in the YAYA guild 1994-1997.