Gerda Reid was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States when she was 6 years old.  Her father, an artist and designer, shared her love for the finer arts.  Gerda graduated from Kean University with a dual major in fine arts and biology. She has years of experience as a biological illustrator and in a wide variety of arts and crafts including ceramics, painting, quilting, parquetry, Ukrainian Easter eggs, needlework and silk screening.

Gerda values her many friendships in the valentine community and enjoys trading ideas, supplies and techniques with fellow artists. With each new valentine, her methods and techniques improve, benefiting especially from competition.  Gerda competes regularly at the Sanibel Shell Show and the Philadelphia Shell Show, where she has earned numerous ribbons, placing in the top tiers.

Since Gerda’s husband’s retirement to Cape Cod, the couple enjoys their many hobbies and sports. If Gerda is not working at her dining room table on a valentine, you’ll find her in the garden, sailing, windsurfing, shelling or repairing sails.