dana velazquez is a visual artist who’s affection for nature grew into a focus on the human experience of designed landscapes. she graduated from temple university in 2016 with a bachelor’s in visual studies and community arts practices from the tyler school of art. her work explores a range of digital, print, and fine art mediums to communicate ideas.

in 2013 she was recognized for her work with local school students affected by the wave of philadelphia public school closings. producing a series of zines, paintings, and public discourse events, this work confronted local decision makers as well as the loss of public space. while working in the community to imagine a future use of abandoned space, her attention was turned toward local parks and greenspaces. curious to understand the process of park planning, she returned to tyler and received a master’s in landscape architecture in 2023. 

during those and the years that followed, she developed her skills as a display artist and florist working for brands including terrain, URBN. her work featuring the brand’s trademark naturalistic style has been seen in editorials and venues such as the barnes foundation. 

her less glamourous work can be found in public lands like the pennypack ecological trust where she has worked to stabilize streambanks and pedestrian trails damaged by stormwater. she has helped build several rain gardens and worked to restore native wildlife habitat with other restorationists. she continues to freelance as an artist and enjoys keeping a diverse calendar with room for travel and side quests.

in 2025 dana left her job to pursue studio gerri full time. she is excited to introduce her perspective, pursue an independent brand. some themes currently on her mind include: clowns, all-age playspaces, invasive plants as food, bat habitats, and urban stormwater basins. In her free time she enjoys studying, volunteering, being outside, and listening to music. please reach out if you feel aligned with anything mentioned!