About
Artist Biography
Ciara McNamara (b. 2002) is a Brooklyn born and based visual artist whose work explores hyper-consumerism, farming practices, ethnobotany, dangers of contemporary industrialization, and memories of playful nostalgia. Her work is seen across mediums such as oil painting, pen-and-ink drawing, sculpture, installation, and basket weaving. A recent graduate, McNamara's Honors Study was awarded the Ames Prize for Most Outstanding Honors Study of her graduating class. She additionally received the Jane Bill Award for maintaining the highest standard of art during undergraduate years.
Following her recent assistance of the Annual Spring/Break Art Show in New York, she completed an internship in the Textile Arts Center Artist-in-Residence Programs in Brooklyn, New York. Her most recent exhibitions include Chelsea Walls Gallery, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance Gallery, New York Academy of Art, LIC-A at The Factory, and Greenpoint Gallery where she received the juried prize for Best in Show. McNamara recently completed a Summer Residency this June and began her Certificate of Fine Arts at the New York Academy of Art in New York, NY. This summer, she will return to the Summer Residency program as a Teacher Assistant for Drawing and Sculpture classes. Consequently, Mcnamara has been selected as Mortimer Hays-Brandeis Fellowship recipient to carry out a comprehensive, year-long research project conducted on small mountain farms around Austria, as well as in Vienna and Salzburg.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
2026 - CFA, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2024 - BA, Art and Psychology, English minor, distinction in art/ high honors, Connecticut College, New London, CT
Selected Exhibitions
2026 - Tribeca Ball, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2026 - Yas Queen! Exhibition, LIC-A Art Space, The Factory, Queens, NY
2025 - A World Inside Exhibition, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2025 - Open Call Show, Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2025 - Saint Ann’s Auction, Saint Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY
2024 - Artist in Sixes Show, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance Gallery, Narrowsburg, NY
2024 - Untitled Summer Group Show, Chelsea Walls Gallery, New York, NY
2024 - Kindred/: Senior Art Major Thesis Exhibition 2024, Cummings Art Center Gallery, New London, CT
2022, 2023, 2024 - Artist and Curator: All-Student Show, Cummings Art Center Gallery, New London, CT
Fellowships
2026, 2027 - Mortimer Hays-Brandeis Traveling Fellowship, Austria
2022 - ConnSSHARP Fellowship, Granted by Connecticut College, Arts Students League, New York, NY
Residencies + Workshops
2025 - Biodynamic Art-Farm Exchange, Meadow’s Bee Farm, Windham, VT
2025 - Summer Residency, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2025 - Artist Programs Internship, Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn, NY
2024 - New York Foundation of Art/New York State Council of Art Artist as Entrepreneur Program, Hosted by Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Narrowsburg, NY
Awards
2025, 2026 - CFA Academy Scholar Award, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2025 - Best in Show Juried Prize, Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2024 - Oakes and Louise Ames Prize for Most Outstanding Honors Study, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2024 - Jane Bill Award, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2022 - Salvator Stephen Figliomeni Memorial Art Award ‘82 Connecticut College, New London, CT
2020, 2021, 2022 - Presidential Scholarship awarded to distinguished Dean’s High Honors underclassmen students, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 - 1911 Scholarship awarded to a high-achieving student for academic performance, Connecticut College, New London, CT
Published Articles
2025 - Ciara McNamara ‘20 [Alumni Feature], Saint Ann’s Times, Issue: Winter 2024-2025 (2025)
2024 - Art of Consumption, Amy Martin, CC Magazine, Issue: Fall 2024 (2024)
2024 - Artist Interviews: Ciara McNamara: Fast, Farm, Factory Fresh. Chelsea Walls Gallery (2024)
Artist Talks
2025 - Artist Talk, Connecticut College, New London, CT (online)
Teaching
2026 - Teacher Assistant for Summer Residency at New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2024, 2025, 2026 - Art Substitute Teacher for 1st - 12th Grade at Saint Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY
2024, 2025 - Teaching Residency for Early Childhood, Scribble Art Workshop, Twin Parks Montessori School + The Equity Project Charter School, New York, NY
2021, 2022, 2023 2024 - Art Department Student Advisory Board Member at Connecticut College, New London, CT
2024 - Teacher Assistant for Large Format Painting at Connecticut College, New London, CT
2023 - Teacher Assistant for Introduction to Painting at Connecticut College, New London, CT