About
Artist Biography
Ciara McNamara (b. 2002) is a Brooklyn born and based visual artist whose work explores contemporary industrialization, farming systems, and consumerism seen in day-to-day life. Her work is seen across mediums such as oil painting, pen-and-ink drawing, found object sculpture, immersive installation, and most recently, natural dyeing, basket weaving, and floor weaving. A recent college graduate, McNamara's Honors Study was awarded the prestigious Oakes and Louise Ames Prize for Best Honors Study of her graduating class, and the Jane Bill Award for maintaining the highest standard of art during her four years as an undergraduate student. In 2023, she studied Art History and Italian Architecture at the Pantheon Institute in Rome, Italy where she also spent time working under the art historian and curator, Dr. Cornelia Lauf, both in Rome and Fara Sabina, for her olive oil company, Agricola Due Leoni.
She has completed two teaching residencies at Twin Parks Montessori School and The Equity Project Charter School, as well as assisting art classes of all ages at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn. Following her recent assistance of the Annual Spring/Break Art Show in New York, she now interns for 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, and Greenpoint Gallery where she received the juried prize for Best in Show. McNamara is expected to complete a Summer Residency this June and begin as a CFA Candidate this August both at the New York Academy of Art in New York, NY.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
2026 (expected) - CFA Candidate, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2024 - BA Studio Art and Psychology, minor in English, distinction in art, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2023 - Study Exchange in Architecture and Art History, Pantheon Institute, Rome, Italy
Selected Exhibitions
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
Awards + Fellowships
2025 - Best in Show Juried Prize, Greenpoint Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
2025, 2026 - CFA Academy Scholar Award, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2025 - 2025 SURP Academy Scholar Award, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
2024 - NYFA + NYSCA Artist as Entrepreneur Program, Hosted by Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Narrowsburg, NY
2024 - Oakes and Louise Ames Prize for Most Outstanding Honors Study, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2024 - Jane Bill Award for a student maintaining the highest standard of art through all four years at Connecticut College, New London, CT
2022 - ConnSSHARP Fellowship, Connecticut College Social Sciences, Humanities + Arts Research Program, Arts Students League, New York, NY
2022 - Salvator Stephen Figliomeni Memorial Art Award ‘82 for a student who savors life and art and inspires a sense of goodness in all they touch, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2020, 2021, 2022 - Presidential Scholarship awarded to distinguished Dean’s High Honors students their first two years at Connecticut College, New London, CT
2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 - 1911 Scholarship awarded to a high-merit achieving student for their academic performance, Connecticut College, New London, CT
Residencies
2025 - Summer Residency, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
Published Articles
2025 - Spotlight on Victoria Manganiello, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
2025 - AIR Feature: Malaika Temba, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
2025 - AIR Feature: Mark Fleuridor, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
2025 - AIR Feature: Quinci Baker, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
2025 - Spotlight on Sarah Byrd, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
2025 - AIR Feature: Faviola Lopez-Romani, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
2025 - AIR Feature: Fay Ku, Ciara McNamara, Textile Arts Center (2025)
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)
Teaching
2025 - Artist-in-Residence Programs Internship, Textile Arts Center, Brooklyn, NY
2024, 2025 - Teaching Residency for Early Childhood, Scribble Art Workshop, Twin Parks Montessori School + The Equity Project Charter School, New York, NY
2024, 2025 - Art Substitute Teacher for 1st - 12th Grade at Saint Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY
2021, 2022, 2023 2024 - Art Department Student Advisory Board Member at Connecticut College, New London, CT
2024 - Teaching Assistant for Large Format Painting at Connecticut College, New London, CT
2023 - Teaching Assistant for Introduction to Painting at Connecticut College, New London, CT