About

Jo Gamel

The ocean as archive.

The relic as body.

The painting as altar.

Jo Gamel is a Philadelphia-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice explores the intersections of feminine identity, mythology, and the natural world. Working primarily in large-scale mixed-media oil still lifes, Gamel constructs luminous, altar-like compositions from marine materials collected during her ocean excursions. Her broader work spans visual art, speculative fiction, and music, all unified by a focus on resilience, transformation, and symbolic memory.

Gamel holds a BFA in Fine Arts from Moore College of Art & Design and is the founder of Tutor of the Arts, a creative enterprise dedicated to arts education and event curation. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of Modern European Art (Barcelona), the Women in Art Biennale (London), and Art Basel Paris. Her debut fantasy novella, Wraiths of Pongus Maw, was published by DMR Publishers in 2025. She is also the lead vocalist and bassist for Metal of Jupiter, a heavy metal project expanding her narrative work into performance.

Gamel’s upcoming solo exhibition, Deep Pink, opens at The Jane Gallery in Old City, Philadelphia in May 2025.

Publications

Read Jo’s interview in Create Magazine
Read Jo’s interview about educating the new generation of women artists in this Moore College interview
Take a look at Jo Gamel’s artwork and read her interview in AQ Catalog Vol. I
Available on Amazon Books
Get a printed copy of “Triple-Headed Bass Goddess” in Daughter!
Daughter Magazine
Get a printed copy of “Patron of the Rock Goddess” in Collide!Collide Shop
Click the link to get to the podcast! Create Magazine feature - Art & Cocktails
See Jo’s profile on Artist Closeup
Artistcloseup.com
Watch MMM episode with author Jo Gamel and published DMR
Click to watch the episode
Click to listen to Philly-has-HeART speak with The Jane Gallery about the upcoming solo exhibit of Jo Gamel’s artwork

Exhibtions:

2025 solo show DEEP PINK, Jane Gallery, OLD CIty, Philadelphia
2024 Women in Art Biennale, Chelsea, London
2024 European Museum of Modern Art, Palau Gomis, Barcelona
2023 Art Basel Paris, Carrousel du Louvre
2023 EXPLORER mixed-media exhibit, Philadelpia2023 GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS women painters curator
2023 Underground Arts Philadelphia group exhibit
2023 MIKA New York group exhibition
2023 Hudson Gallery DE curator and exhibiting artist
2022 Underground Arts group show
2022 Project Parlor NYC all women’s painting exhibition
2021 Solo exhibition Philly Art Collective
2021 Solo exhibition University City Arts League
2021 Gala artist University City Arts League
2020 Gala artist University City Arts League
2020 Crane Arts and Vox Populi group exhibit
2020 University City Arts League faculty exhibit
2018 Giovinetti Studios group exhibit
2016 Twilight Gallery group exhibit
2016 Capitol Hill Art Walk solo exhibit
2013 Goldie Paley Gallery group show
2007 TCNJ Art Gallery group exhibit

CV:

Artist CV

Education

Sotheby Institute of Art 2022 certification Running a Contemporary Art Gallery
CE workshop 2021 Portrait Society of America training seminar, Scott Jones: The Business Side of Art
CE course 2018 Classical Techniques in Still Life painting
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
MA 2014- degree unfinished
Focus: Art Therapy & Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Antioch University Seattle
BFA 2009-2013
Focus: 2-D Fine Arts and Business
Moore College of Art & Design

Leadership and Community Work

2021 Transition Network En Plein Air Watercolor event
2020 volunteer UCAL social media marketing assistant
2020-present Instructor at Community Arts Philadelphia
2019-present oil painting, acrylic painting, drawing and illustration instructor at University City Arts League
2019-present Young Artist Workshop instructor at Moore College of Art
2019 Invitation to participate as resident artist for 2020 at the Vienna Royal Crypt
2019 Group exhibit with Girl Crime artists collective and membership acquisition
2018 Gallery Assistant at Giovanetti Studios
2018 Exhibition at Giovanetti Studios
2017 Volunteer at Artist Trust Auction
2016 Lead conceptualist and organizer of Makers’ Mixer
2014 Volunteer at Belltown Women’s Center Thanksgiving
2014 Volunteer at Oasis Learning Center, Philadelphia
2011 Philadelphia Zoo education programs instructor and coordinator internship
2009 President of Art League
2008 Founder of Drawing Club

Awards

2024 Women in Art Excellence Award
2012 Excellence in Painting Award
2009-2013 Emerging Leaders in the Arts Scholarship
2009 Best in Show ArtIsCool
2009 1st place ArtIsCool
2007 Governor’s School on the Arts TCNJ Intensive Residency
2007 NJ State Teen Arts, Critics’ selection
2006 NJ State Teen Arts
2002 Helmet Safety state-wide contest winner