Perrelli Fine Art & Design is a Baltimore-based collective of designers and web developers led by Creative Director Frank Perrelli, who has been producing visual communications for over 30 years.
Frank has developed and maintained numerous high-profile websites – Although PFAD has been developing online solutions since 1998, the true experience of its founder rests with government service and public-sector portals. Frank Perrelli is the original webmaster of BaltimoreCity.gov, and the lead designer for Maryland State websites from 2008-2014. He was responsible for creating web and branding standards for all executive agencies, and has developed several iterations of universal templates for the State, which are still in use today.
Biography:
Starting in 1984, Frank began his professional work at the Graftec Corporation, in Washington, DC, where he worked throughout his four years of college at Georgetown University as a Paste-up Artist, performing publication layout prior to the popularization of computerized design.
Before graduation, Frank started as an intern at the Walters Art Museum, in Baltimore. It was a natural outlet for his English and Art History double major. The position in Public Relations was created for the first time due to his interest in communications. After two weeks, his supervisor left, and Frank was invited to fill the full-time staff role of Public Relations Assistant, producing press releases, PSAs and other written material until leaving to resume school in the Fall.
After graduation, Frank moved to San Francisco, then back to study graduate architecture at the University of Maryland, College Park. While enrolled, Frank accepted a position as Exhibitions Assistant at the The Art Gallery on campus, then an accredited museum with a permanent collection. There, he received a hands-on opportunity to design, prepare, and install exhibitions. His interest in promotions resurfaced, and he became further involved composing invitations, editing exhibition catalogues, establishing the Maryland State Artist Series, and curating its inaugural exhibition.
During this period, Frank and 3 other Baltimore artists established the Jar, an informal workspace that hosted regular student and emerging art exhibits in a loft above downtown Charles Street in Baltimore. They also hosted over 50 performances that included independent music and bands from all parts of the country.
Then, he moved to New York City. Frank was hired as the Assistant Director of the Turbulence Gallery, on Broadway. With renovations in progress to convert a 3-story storefront building into a one of the city’s largest private exhibition spaces, Frank was responsible for nearly all aspects of artist involvement, exhibition planning, and public relations. Regular newsletters were printed and distributed to a growing list of client, media and artist contacts, while most aspects relating to art handling, international transportation, and sales fell under his purview. After several shows, Frank was asked to step-up and replace the original gallery Director.
Upon returning to hometown Baltimore years later, his daytimes were spent working as the in-house designer for a local printer. Frank also worked part-time for the then Baltimore Office of Promotion as Graphic Artist, producing event promotional materials and festival signage, while continuing to perform independent design for clients.
Frank accepted the position as Special Aide II for the City’s Planning Department, responsible for designing all public information materials including books, reports, brochures, maps, posters, presentation materials and collateral. In so doing, he became instrumental in creating a photo archive while ugrading the department’s capacity for electronic information sharing.
Frank’s evenings and weekends became devoted to establishing a contemporary art gallery in downtown Baltimore. Perrelli Fine Art & Design was born. It died young – but not until the 2-floor, 1,200 square foot space featured 24 individual & 2 group exhibitions including over 80 local, national & international artists. The gallery’s owner attended to everything himself until its closing two years later.
And that was nearly 15 years ago. Stay tuned for what’s been happening since. But hey, enough of my yapping…let’s boogie!
