Lily Wai Brennan is a craft-based multidisciplinary artist currently operating in Eugene, OR, Albany, NY and her hometown Buffalo, NY. She received her BFA from the College of Saint Rose in 2020 and her MFA from the University of Oregon in 2023. Lily has shown nationally across the United States in commercial and university gallery exhibitions and is held by private collections throughout the nation.
Outside her art career she works as a freelance Graphic Designer and Marketing Lead for celebrities and large-scale businesses. Lily also anticipates a tattoo apprenticeship under Goodnight Tattoo in Albany, NY by the end of 2024.
Lily’s concern lies in the experience of living within ambiguous bodies. Inspired by pop culture, dreams, and meditation, Lily interrogates themes of interrace, queerness, and femme. As an interracial queer person herself, Lily is most interested in how ambiguous marginal identities operate in binary spaces. She finds readings such as A Cyborg Manifesto by Donna J. Haraway and Glitch Feminism by Legacy Russell influential.
“To exist within a binary system one must assume that our selves are unchangeable, that how we are read in the world must be chosen for us, rather than for us to define– and choose–for ourselves.”
— Glitch Feminism, Legacy Russell.
Artist Statement available upon request.
Education
2023 MFA, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2020 BFA with Minor in Art History, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
Solo Exhibitions
2023 How do the Visible Hide?, MFA Thesis Exhibition, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene, OR
2021 Yellow Kid, Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR
(Over)Thinking of Your Pleasures, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2019 She’s Got a Funny Way of Showing It, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 Ditch Market, Ditch Projects, Springfield, OR
Box-O-Art, Box Party Artist Collective, Albany, NY
Pet Show, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2022 My God You Are So Ugly!!, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2021 . . . (ELLIPSIS), LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
Maximum Self, Collarworks, Troy, NY
ventured inward only to arrive at the same place, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2020 Found Family, Queerly Collective Online Exhibition
BFA Thesis Exhibition, Esther Massry Gallery, Albany, NY
120° Intercollegiate Art Regional Exhibition, Juror: Daniel Buckingham, Saratoga Arts, Saratoga Springs, NY
2019 ACG Members Show, Albany Center Gallery, Albany, NY
Itty Bitty, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
Creations: Collections & Connections, Albany Center Gallery, Albany, NY
Triptych, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
2018 Critical Concepts, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
the few cubic centimeters inside your skull, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
Selected Honors & Awards
2023 Selected MFA Host for Visiting Artist Alex da Corte, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2021-23 Ina McClung Art Scholarship Fund, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2020-23 Joe and Alone Fischer Scholarship Fund, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2021 Mural Design Grant, Peaceprints of Western New York, Buffalo, NY
2020 Hy Rosen Award for Excellence in Drawing and Painting, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2016-20 Exceptional Art Scholarship, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2016-20 Allentown Art Scholarship, Allentown Village Society, Buffalo, NY
Selected Professional Experience
2023-pres. Head of Marketing, Gaia Ethnobotanical LLC, Las Vegas, NV
2023-pres. Tattoo Apprentice, Goodnight Tattoo & Twilight Gallery, Albany, NY
2022-pres. Senior Graphic Designer, Developer Squad, Williamsville, NY
2023 Children’s Arts Instructor, Little Owl School of Arts, Eugene, OR
2021-23 Instructor, Fiber Arts Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2019 Curatorial and Gallery Assistant Intern, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY
2017-20 Drawing Tutor, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2016-20 Gallery Management Staff, Esther Massry Gallery, Albany, NY
Private Collections
NDA (Unnamed Comedian), Manhattan, NY
NDA (Unnamed Actor), Los Angeles, CA
Peaceprints of Western New York, Buffalo, NY
Allentown Village Society, Buffalo, NY
Private Collection, Clarence Center, NY
Private Collection, Albany, NY
Private Collection, Los Angeles, CA
Private Collection, Key Largo, FL
Private Collection, Myrtle Beach, SC
Press & Publications
“2023 MFA Terminal Project” University of Oregon in collaboration with FISK 20 June 2023: Print and Digital. Uoartmfa.com/2023/lily-wai-brennan
“Collar Works kicks off its new season with three art exhibitions!” HudsonValley360 26 August 2021: Digital. HudsonValley360.com
“Buffalo’s First Criminal Justice Themed Mural by local artist Lily Wai Brennan,” Buffalo Rising 28 July 2021: Digital. Buffalorising.com
“Mural by local Artist Lily Wai Brennan,” Empire State News 28 July 2021: Digital. Empirestate.news
“A brush in both worlds,” Green Eugene 7 June 2021: 10-11. Print.
Education
2023
MFA, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2020
BFA with Minor in Art History, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
Solo Exhibitions
2023
How do the Visible Hide?, MFA Thesis Exhibition, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene, OR
2021
Yellow Kid, Washburne Gallery, Eugene, OR
(Over)Thinking of Your Pleasures, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2019
She’s Got a Funny Way of Showing It, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
Ditch Market, Ditch Projects, Springfield, OR
Box-O-Art, Box Party Artist Collective, Albany, NY
Pet Show, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2022
My God You Are So Ugly!!, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2021
. . . (ELLIPSIS), LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
Maximum Self, Collarworks, Troy, NY
ventured inward only to arrive at the same place, LaVerne Kraus Gallery, Eugene, OR
2020
Found Family, Queerly Collective Online Exhibition
BFA Thesis Exhibition, Esther Massry Gallery, Albany, NY
120° Intercollegiate Art Regional Exhibition, Juror: Daniel Buckingham, Saratoga Arts, Saratoga Springs, NY
2019
ACG Members Show, Albany Center Gallery, Albany, NY
Itty Bitty, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
Creations: Collections & Connections, Albany Center Gallery, Albany, NY
Triptych, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
2018
Critical Concepts, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
the few cubic centimeters inside your skull, Picotte Gallery, Albany, NY
Selected Honors & Awards
2023
Selected MFA Host for Visiting Artist Alex da Corte, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2021-23
Ina McClung Art Scholarship Fund, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2020-23
Joe and Alone Fischer Scholarship Fund, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2021
Mural Design Grant, Peaceprints of Western New York, Buffalo, NY
2020
Hy Rosen Award for Excellence in Drawing and Painting, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2016-20
Exceptional Art Scholarship, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2016-20
Allentown Art Scholarship, Allentown Village Society, Buffalo, NY
Selected Professional Experience
2023-pres.
Head of Marketing, Gaia Ethnobotanical LLC, Las Vegas, NV
2023-pres.
Tattoo Apprentice, Goodnight Tattoo & Twilight Gallery, Albany, NY
2022-pres.
Senior Graphic Designer, Developer Squad, Williamsville, NY
2023
Children’s Arts Instructor, Little Owl School of Arts, Eugene, OR
2021-23
Instructor, Fiber Arts Department, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
2019
Curatorial and Gallery Assistant Intern, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY
2017-20
Drawing Tutor, The Center for Art & Design, The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY
2016-20
Gallery Management Staff, Esther Massry Gallery, Albany, NY
Private Collections
NDA (Unnamed Comedian), Manhattan, NY
NDA (Unnamed Actor), Los Angeles, CA
Peaceprints of Western New York, Buffalo, NY
Allentown Village Society, Buffalo, NY
Private Collection, Clarence Center, NY
Private Collection, Albany, NY
Private Collection, Los Angeles, CA
Private Collection, Key Largo, FL
Private Collection, Myrtle Beach, SC
Press & Publications
“2023 MFA Terminal Project” University of Oregon in collaboration with FISK 20 June 2023: Print and Digital. Uoartmfa.com/2023/lily-wai-brennan
“Collar Works kicks off its new season with three art exhibitions!” HudsonValley360 26 August 2021: Digital. HudsonValley360.com
“Buffalo’s First Criminal Justice Themed Mural by local artist Lily Wai Brennan,” Buffalo Rising 28 July 2021: Digital. Buffalorising.com
“Mural by local Artist Lily Wai Brennan,” Empire State News 28 July 2021: Digital. Empirestate.news
“A brush in both worlds,” Green Eugene 7 June 2021: 10-11. Print.
