Gina Zetts
Gina Zetts is a sculptor and glass artist originally from northwestern Pennsylvania, now living and working in the California Bay Area. She holds a BFA in sculpture from Alfred University and an MFA in glass from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Her work has been exhibited at venues such as the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Bellevue Art Museum, Bullseye Gallery, and the Pittsburgh Glass Center, and is held in permanent collections at Alfred University, the Bolinas Museum, and the Ege University Paper and Book Arts Museum. Her pieces have been featured in publications including New Glass Review, Glass Art Magazine, and American Miniaturist.
Gina has taught at the California College of the Arts, Pilchuck Glass School, Bullseye Glass Co., and several other institutions. She makes her work alongside her husband and fellow artist, Spencer Pittenger, and their two children.
Education
Rochester Institute of Technology, Collage of Imaging Arts and Sciences, School of American Crafts, Master of Fine Arts, Glass
Alfred University, School of Art and Design, New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred NY, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Sculpture
Pennsylvania Governors School for the Arts, Erie PA, Visual Arts, Sculpture
Exhibitions
2022. Interdisciplinary Voice, September 14 - December 11, 2022, Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art, Moraga, CA
2021. Sally K. Fairfax: Ice and Glass, Bolinas Art Museum, Bolinas, CA
2018. Cutting Edge: Nontraditional Glass, juried by Carrie Lederer and Mary B White, Arts Benicia, Benicia CA
2017. Featured Gallery Artist, July 2017- December 2017, Glass Wheel Studio, Norfolk VA
2017. “Glass Art Society Juried Member Exhibition,” Glass Wheel Studio, Norfolk VA
2016. “What is Was” Group Exhibition, curated by Anna Noelle Rockwell, Epperson Gallery, Crockett, CA
2015. “To Build a Home” Solo Exhibition, Bullseye Resource Center Bay Area, Emeryville CA
2015. “Emerge/Evolve 2014: Rising Talents in Kiln-Glass, “ Emerge 2014, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue WA
2014 -’15. Emerge/Evolve, Emerge 2014 National Tour, Pittsburgh Glass Center, Pittsburgh PA, Bullseye Resource Center Bay Area, Emeryville CA
2014. “To Build a Home” MFA Thesis Exhibition, The Yards Collaborative Art Space, Rochester NY
2014. Emerge 2014 Finalist Exhibition, Bullseye Gallery, Portland OR
2014. “Convergence” Graduate Research and Creativity Symposium, Rochester Institute of Technology, University Gallery
2014. “Unexpected Imagery” Gallery r, Rochester NY, Curated by David Schnuckle and Eileen Bushnell
2014. Print Portfolio Exchange, Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey
2013-14. Art in Craft Media” Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo NY
2013. “Convergence” Graduate Research and Creativity Symposium, Rochester Institute of Technology, University Gallery
2013. “Fluidity” RIT’s CIAS Student and Alumni Exhibition, Gallery r, Rochester, NY
2012. “Glass and Glasses,” group exhibition at the Optical Underground, San Francisco CA
2009. ”Artists & Artisans", Public Glass' Annual Gala, San Francisco, CA
2008. ”Summer in the City", Alfred University’s 2008 BFA Graduates at Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts, New York, NY
2008. BFA Exhibition, School of Art and Design, NYSSC at Alfred University, Alfred, NY
2007. “All Things Big and Small” group exhibition at the Turner Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred NY
2007. “Embodiment” group exhibition at the Turner Gallery, Alfred University, Alfred NY
2007. Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition, Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts, Erie PA
Honors
2024. Second Place, Hobby Builder Supply Company 31st Annual Dollhouse Competition, Atlanta GA
2022. Honorable Mention, Hobby Builder Supply Company 29th Annual Dollhouse Competition, Atlanta GA
2021. Honorable Mention, Hobby Builder Supply Company 28th Annual Dollhouse Competition, Atlanta GA
2020. Honorable Mention, Hobby Builder Supply Company 27th Annual Dollhouse Competition, Atlanta GA
2018. Honorable Mention, Hobby Builder Supply Company 25th Annual Dollhouse Competition, Atlanta GA
2017. Dorothy Saxe Emerging Artist Lecture, 46th Annual International Glass Art Society Conference, Norfolk, VA
2016. Second Place, Hobby Builder Supply Company 23rd Annual Dollhouse Competition, Atlanta GA
2014. Bronze Award Recipient, Emerge Competition, Bullseye Glass Company, Portland OR
2014. Uncommon Goods, Glass Award Finalist, New York, NY
2014. Honorable Mention, Glass Art Society International Student Competition, Chicago, IL
2014 Niche Awards Finalist, Glass Sculptural, Sponsored by Niche Magazine and the Rosen Group, Philadelphia, PA
2014. Juror’s Choice Award, “Art of Deception” Student and Alumni Annual Exhibition, Gallery r, Rochester, NY
2012-14. Merit Award, partial tuition waiver, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester NY
2012. Featured Artist, "Box Art, Benefit Auction" Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland CA, artwork image used as cover art for advertisements, Live Auction
2011. Corning Inc. Outstanding Student Nomination, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood WA
2011. Work Sponsored by East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation, "Box Art, Benefit Auction" Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland CA
2010. Student to Student Scholarship Award to attend Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood WA
2008. Alfred University Purchase Award, Sculpture Department
2008. Windgate Fellowship Awards Nominee, Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, Hendersonville, NC
2004. University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Women of Promise Award for Creative and Performing Arts, Bradford, PA
Publications
“Gina Zetts: The Most Rewarding Thing Is Creating Whole Worlds” by Anastasia Gakhova, Daily Doll News, online magazine, feature article, 2025
“A Miniature Puppet Shop” Dollhouse Miniatures Magazine, print and online magazine, feature article, 2025, Issue 104
“Welcome to Mendl’s Cafe” Dollhouse Miniatures Magazine, print and online magazine, feature article, 2024, Issue 100
“Botanist’s Folly is Full of Feminine Ambition” Dollshouse World Magazine, print and online magazine, feature article, February 2023, Issue 359
“The Botanist’s Folly” Dollhouse Miniatures Magazine, print and online magazine, cover feature article, July 2022, Issue 88
Very Serious Crafts Podcast, Season 5: Episode 05- Honey, I Shrunk the Crafts!, May 2022
Meet the Miniaturist! Winners Edition, Interview with D. Thomas Miniatures, Youtube.com, March 20, 2022
Meet the Miniaturist! Winners Edition, Interview with D. Thomas Miniatures, Youtube.com, March 28, 2021
Virtual Artist Talk: Sally K. Fairfax and Friends, Moderated by Elia Haworth, Curator of Coastal Marin Art and History, June 3, 2020
“Does it have a good foundation? And how about the roof”, Glass Art Society Journal, print catalog, Saxe Emerging Artist Lecture, 2018
“Gas Presents the 2017 Saxe Emerging Artist Winners” Glass Art, print magazine, May/June 2017, vol. 32 number 3
“A Vintage Print Shop” American Miniaturist, print magazine, feature article, July 2017, Issue #171
New Glass Review 36, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning NY
2015 “Rising Talents in Kiln-Glass,” American Art Collector Magazine, February 2015, Issue 112, pages 148-149
“Unusual combinations, unusual shapes: Kiln-cast glass shines at Pittsburgh Glass Center” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh PA, Dec. 3, 2014, Post-Gazette art critic Mary Thomas
Emerge Exhibition Catalog, Bullseye Glass Company, Portland OR,
2014 Art in Craft Media Exhibition Catalog, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Buffalo NY, 2013
“Local glass artists reflect on shared passion” Feature Article, Bradford Era, Bradford PA, Vol. 135 Feb. 27, 2012 Glass Heritage Luncheon, One Book Bradford, work shown and featured in a presentation of local glass artists, 2012
Sunday Magazine with Liz Saint John, Interview, May 16, 2010, San Francisco, CA , 2010
New Glass Review 29, Corning Museum of Glass, Corning NY, 2008 “Shard Experience” review by Buzz Spector, New Glass Review 29, 2008
Assistantships
Isabel and Ruben Toledo, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood WA, 2013
Jeremy Lepisto, Kiln Formed to Fit, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood WA, 2012
Alena Matejkova, Aesthetics of Pattern, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood WA, 2009
Angus M. Powers, Introduction to Glass Blowing, Alfred University, 2007
Nadine Saylor, Introduction to Glass Casting, Alfred University, 2007
Joseph Deisroth, Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts, Erie PA, 2007
Studio glass assistant to Nadine Saylor, Alfred, NY ’05- ’07
Residencies
Alfred University, Summer Session, 2013, Alfred NY
Teaching
California College of the Arts, Adjunct Professor, Glass Department
Introduction to Glass and Glass Blowing
Bullseye Glass Co. Bay Area Resource Center “Concept to Object with Gina Zetts,” Master Class, March 2015
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. 2012-14 - Instructor of glass casting elective Fall and Winter Quarters, 2012-13 Instructor of glass blowing elective, Spring Quarter, 2013 Instructor of cold processes elective, Spring Quarter 2013 Instructor of lampworking elective, Fall and Spring Semester 2013-14
Public Glass, San Francisco CA, April 2009 - June 2012 - Instructor of glass blowing Instructor of glass casting I & II Instructor of fusing/ slumping Instructor of cold working
Pennsylvania Governors School of the Arts, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Mercyhurst College, Erie PA. 2007 - Residential and Teaching Assistant, Visual Arts- Sculpture
Collections
Bolinas Museum, Bolinas, CA
Ege University Paper and Book Arts Museum, Izmir, Turkey
Bullseye Glass Co., Portland OR
Red Hot Metal, Inc., Chico, CA
Alfred University, Alfred NY
Professional Work
Commissioner, Advisory Committee of Street Artists and Crafts Examiners, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA, 2nd appointed term, 2021- present
Visiting Critic, Senior Thesis Exhibition, Glass Department, California College of the Arts, Spring 2018
Visiting Critic, Color and Imagery Class, Glass Department, California College of the Arts, Spring 2017