ABOUT
Ciara McNamara is a Brooklyn-based artist specializing in environmentally-driven artworks, with a focus in oil painting, drawing, and found-object works. Her most recent body of work delves into the issues of factory farming and waste pollution in the United States. Through her art, Ciara aims to draw out critical environmental issues and provoke questions to expand discussion.
Associate Professor of Art, Chris Barnard, who served as McNamara’s adviser, has praised her “ability to naturalistically render imagery in complex compositions and manipulate materials for expressive means.” He believes the excellent body of work she created will be the standard-bearer for the Art Department for years to come.
EDUCATION
2024 - B.A. Studio Art and Psychology, minor in English, cum laude, dean’s high honors, Connecticut College
2023 - Study Abroad Exchange in Architecture and Art History, at Pantheon Institute in Rome, Italy
2020 - High School Degree at Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn, NY
AWARDS + FELLOWSHIPS
2024 - Oakes and Louise Ames Prize for Best Honors Study of the graduating class of 2024
2024 - Jane Bill Award for a student maintaining the highest standard of art through all four years at Connecticut College
2022 - ConnSHARP Fellowship, Connecticut College Social Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Research Program
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
2020 - 2022 - Presidential Scholar awarded to distinguished Dean’s High Honors students for their first two years at Connecticut College
EXHIBITIONS
2024 - 20th Annual Artist in Sixes Small Works Show, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance Gallery, Narrowsburg, NY
2024 - Untitled Summer: Inaugural Group Show, Chelsea Walls Gallery, New York, NY
2024 - Kindred/: Senior Art Major Thesis Exhibition 2024, Cummings Art Center Galleries, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2024 - Artist and Curator: All-Student Show, Cummings Art Center Galleries, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2023 - Artist and Curator: All-Student Show, Cummings Art Center Galleries, Connecticut College, New London, CT
2022 - Artist and Curator: All-Student Show, Cummings Art Center Galleries, Connecticut College, New London, CT
ARTICLES
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
2024 - Art Substitute Teacher for 1st - 12th Grade at Saint Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY
2024 - New York Foundation of Arts/ New York State Council of Arts Artist as Entrepreneur Program, Hosted by Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Narrowsburg, NY
2021 - 2024 - Art Department Student Advisory Board 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