Geneva Bielenberg was a Fellow at the Pando at Maryknoll campus during the 2018-19 period. She came as a graduate from Ithaca College with a BFA in Fine and Studio Arts. Geneva is an artist and muralist.
Geneva was the first Fellow and helped define and launch the program of Pando at Maryknoll. She not only helped establish the program conceptually, but physically as well by helping to renovate the site. She helped prepare several apartments and a large annex for Pando’s usage.
She also worked as an assistant manager and creative director for the Magenta House project, an initiative aimed at getting LA County residents to reduce their power and water usage through DIY projects. She worked alongside her grandfather to design the pop-up structure used extensively as part of the Magenta House communications campaign.
Geneva also worked on the campus at Maryknoll as a lead for the Kitchen Garden project which aimed to create fresh produce on site for daily use. She practiced landscaping both in the human and non-human environment through re-planting diseased rose beds and painting a mural.
Since her fellowship, Geneva has developed mural painting into her main practice as an artist. On her experience on campus, she states “I enjoyed living at Maryknoll and interacting with the sisters. They are incredible women with amazing stories.”
Additionally, she felt very lucky for the professional connections Pando gave her: “I met a lot of really amazing and talented people and professionals during my time with Pando. The connections they have are pretty incredible.”
