Biography

J O N A T H A N   F E R R A R A   | | |   @jonathan.ferrara.12

[lives & works – New Orleans, LA  :::  b. 1967, Baltimore, MD]

Jonathan Ferrara is a New Orleans artist, gallery owner, curator, community activist, and arts entrepreneur. As co-owner of Ferrara Showman Gallery, he facilitates exhibitions of cutting edge works of art from local, national, and international artists including paintings, sculpture, glass, metal works, mixed media, and installation art. 

As an artist, Ferrara’s work has been exhibited in New York, Miami, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Massachusetts, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago, Louisiana, and internationally in Hungary. His work is in several prominent collections, including: The Frederick Weisman Foundation (Los Angeles, CA), Richard Baker (Greenwich, CT), John and Kristi Schiller (Houston, TX), and actress Alfre Woodard.

Cirriculum Vitae

Education

The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 1989

 

Solo Exhibitions

Of Hands, Ferrara Showman Gallery, New Orleans, LA , (upcoming) June 2026

Hope Photo Project, New Orleans, LA, Jerusalem, Israel, Amman, Jordan, Port -au-Prince Haiti, Minneapolis, MN, 2020-21

Jonathan Ferrara, Steve Martin Studio, Miami, FL, May 2008

The Delachaise Suite, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2003

Inaugural Exhibition, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, September 1998

Portraits and Landscapes in Silk, Dragonfly Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, MA, June 1998                     

Icons and Color, Positive Space The Gallery, New Orleans, LA, October 1997        

Color and Form, OXOXO Gallery, Baltimore, MD, November 1996

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

This City Holds Us, Ferrara Showman Gallery, New Orleans, LA,  2025

Guns in the Hands of Artists, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, 2018

Guns in the Hands of Artists, New America Foundation, Washington DC, 2017    

Guns in the Hands of Artists, Minneapolis, MN, 2017      

Guns in the Hands of Artists, Miami Project, Art Basel Miami Beach, 2016           

Guns in the Hands of Artists, Des Lee Gallery Washington University St. Louis, 2016      

Guns in the Hands of Artists, The Aspen Institute, Aspen, CO, 2016       

Guns in the Hands of Artists, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA  2015  

Currency II, University Alabama Birmingham Gallery, Birmingham, AL, 2011

Southern Organic, Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN , 2010

P.1 Projects, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA 2008

Kaleidoscope Katrina, Windows of Lord and Taylor, Fifth Ave, NY, NY , 2007

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Steve Martin Studio, Miami, FL, 2006         

New Orleans Artists In Exile Returns Home, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2006

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Shreveport Regional Arts Center, Shreveport, LA, 2006

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Arts Without Borders Gallery, Hapeville, GA, 2006

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Lambert Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 2006

AAF Contemporary Art Fair, New York, NY, 2005

Contemporary Art From New Orleans, Koncz Gallery, Debrecen Hungary, 2004

Paperwork, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2002

The Black & White Show, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2001

Entergy Louisiana Open Juried Exhibition, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA, 2006

The Art Exchange Show, New York, New York, 1998

Guns In The Hands of Artists, DCAC Gallery, Washington, DC, 1998

The Art Exchange Show, New York, New York, 1997

Guns In The Hands of Artists, Positive Space Gallery, 1996

Centennial Olympics, Barristers Gallery/House of Blues, Atlanta, GA, 1996

Group, Mario Villa Gallery, Chicago, IL, 1995

 

Curation

Cuba Revisited: Contemporary Art from Cuba, Ferrara Showman Gallery, New Orleans,LA , 2023

Guns in the Hands of Artists Traveling Exhibition, New Orleans, Aspen, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Miami, Washington DC, Fairfield, CT, 2015 – 2018

No Dead Artists, Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, Annually 1995 to present

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Steve Martin Studio, Miami, FL, 2006         

New Orleans Artists In Exile Returns Home, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2006

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Shreveport Regional Arts Center, Shreveport, LA, 2006

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Arts Without Borders Gallery, Hapeville, GA, 2006

New Orleans Artists In Exile, Lambert Gallery, Atlanta, GA, 2006

Nouveaux Artistes d’Acadiana, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2005

Contemporary Art From New Orleans, Koncz Gallery, Debrecen Hungary, 2004

As Seen In New Orleans, Mu-Terem Gallery, Debrecen, Hungary, 2004

Havana: Inside Out, Contemporary Art From Cuba 2004, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2004

Made In Cuba, Contemporary Art From Cuba 2002, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2004

The Black & White Show, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2001

Not Your Typical Still Life, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, New Orleans, LA, 2001

 

Collections

Permanent Collection, Frederick R. Weisman Foundation, Los Angeles, CA

Kristi and John Schiller, Houston, TX

Dr. Jonathan Lampert, New York, NY

Richard Baker, Lord and Taylor, NY, NY

Alfre Woodard, Los Angeles, CA

Katherine Wilson Blackney, Memphis, TN

Hugh and Beth Lambert, New Orleans, LA

Mike and Brenda Moffit, New Orleans, LA