Artist Vera England lives in Garfield, just 2 blocks from the Irma Freeman Center. Beyond painting, she is mother of four young children, and part-time architectural designer at citySTUDIO. 

Many of Vera’s paintings are scenes from her travels — most recently in San Diego, the Gulf Coast, Italy, and Costa Rica. Lately she has been experimenting with Impressionist and Fauvist style landscapes, inspired by painters such as Monet, Van Gogh, and Matisse. Through her art, Vera hopes to give people moments to catch their breath and find peace in the midst of life’s busyness. Her work expresses her love of nature, and her delight in the beauty of diverse colors and textures. 

Vera grew up on the Gulf Coast of Alabama, the oldest of seven children. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, she moved to Pittsburgh and worked in architecture for several years. In 2012 she and her husband, Ryan England, started citySTUDIO, a design firm specializing in the renovation and repurposing of historic buildings. Over the past 10 years, they have enjoyed working together on numerous Pittsburgh architectural projects, including many here in the Penn Avenue Arts District.