Known for abstract, bold, and vibrant use of color, gradients, and motifs, and drawing on personal and culturally nuanced experiences, Shawna's work explores themes of identity, creativity, and motherhood, often utilizing painting, glass, light, and public spaces as mediums for expression.
Currently, Shawna's work is about the big changes in a life, like becoming a mother, honoring the people who came before her, and growing older. Her newest work is made of dots of light. She draws them in pencil and Photoshop and animates them in TouchDesigner, building each image dot by dot so it can move and change in real time.
She has been invited to speak about these themes at events such as Adobe MAX, Us by Night, and AIGA. Her permanent glass and metal installation, Cyclical Everything, is at the MTA’s Elmont station, and her work has been featured by The New Yorker, the Oscars, and Google.
Currently, Shawna's work is about the big changes in a life, like becoming a mother, honoring the people who came before her, and growing older. Her newest work is made of dots of light. She draws them in pencil and Photoshop and animates them in TouchDesigner, building each image dot by dot so it can move and change in real time.
She has been invited to speak about these themes at events such as Adobe MAX, Us by Night, and AIGA. Her permanent glass and metal installation, Cyclical Everything, is at the MTA’s Elmont station, and her work has been featured by The New Yorker, the Oscars, and Google.
Select press
Adobe MAX︎︎︎
It’s Nice That︎︎︎
Creative Independent︎︎︎
Maekan︎︎︎
The Great Discontent interview︎︎︎
AIGA Eye On Design︎︎︎
Dr Martens #WornDifferent︎︎︎
Miss Bish︎︎︎
Adobe Live Drawing 1, 2, 3︎︎︎
Complex Style︎︎︎
Teaching / Judging
Young Guns, 2021
Society of Illustrators, 2019
Parsons The New School for Design,
Mobile Design, 2015-2017
Speaking
It’s Nice That Inaugural Talk, 2022
Visitng Artist, Virginia Tech, 2022
Adobe MAX Keynote Speaker, 2021
Cranbrook Academy of Art Visiting Lecturer, 2021
The New School Invited speaker, 2020
Us By Night, Antwerp Belgium, 2019
Portland Design Week, Portland 2019
Creative Works, Memphis, 2018
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn 2018
Portland State University, 2018
AIGA Mainstage, Minneapolis, 2017
The Great Discontent Live with Collin Hughes, NYC, 2017
Ladies Get Paid panel, Behance, NYC 2017
Secret Handshake, Art Director's Club, NYC 2015
Adobe MAX︎︎︎
It’s Nice That︎︎︎
Creative Independent︎︎︎
Maekan︎︎︎
The Great Discontent interview︎︎︎
AIGA Eye On Design︎︎︎
Dr Martens #WornDifferent︎︎︎
Miss Bish︎︎︎
Adobe Live Drawing 1, 2, 3︎︎︎
Complex Style︎︎︎
Teaching / Judging
Young Guns, 2021
Society of Illustrators, 2019
Parsons The New School for Design,
Mobile Design, 2015-2017
Speaking
It’s Nice That Inaugural Talk, 2022
Visitng Artist, Virginia Tech, 2022
Adobe MAX Keynote Speaker, 2021
Cranbrook Academy of Art Visiting Lecturer, 2021
The New School Invited speaker, 2020
Us By Night, Antwerp Belgium, 2019
Portland Design Week, Portland 2019
Creative Works, Memphis, 2018
Pratt Institute, Brooklyn 2018
Portland State University, 2018
AIGA Mainstage, Minneapolis, 2017
The Great Discontent Live with Collin Hughes, NYC, 2017
Ladies Get Paid panel, Behance, NYC 2017
Secret Handshake, Art Director's Club, NYC 2015
Public Art
We’re Freeing Ourselves, Hudson Square, New York, NY 2024
Cyclical Everything, Elmont LIRR Station, Commissioned by MTA 2022
Solo Exhibitions
Energies, Saturdays NYC, 2024
Cosmic Intermediaries, Glass Rice, San Francisco, CA 2023
"F*** Your Manners", A/D/O, Brooklyn NY 2018
"Netscape", Powrplnt, Brooklyn, NY 2016
Group Exhibitions
EFFERVESCENCE, curated by Shannon Lai, Mews, Brooklyn, NY 2025
StandardVision Artist Showcase, Los Angeles, CA 2023
Artists Who Code, Vellum LA x Artsy, 2022
Group Exhibition, Compound Gallery, Yucca Valley, CA 2022
Museum of Pizza, Brooklyn NY 2018
ADIOS: Vancouver Island, Art Helix, Brooklyn NY 2017
REFUGE, Sid Lee Collective, New York, NY 2017
Girls of Summer, Vandervoort Studios, Brooklyn, NY 2015
Typeforce NYC, Type Director's Club, New York, NY 2015
PDX Flash, Compound Gallery, Portland OR 2015
Typeforce 5, Co-Prosperity Sphere, Chicago IL 2014
Mad Science PDX, Gallery 151, Portland OR 2013
Inspiration China, Portland Art Museum, Portland OR 2010
We’re Freeing Ourselves, Hudson Square, New York, NY 2024
Cyclical Everything, Elmont LIRR Station, Commissioned by MTA 2022
Solo Exhibitions
Energies, Saturdays NYC, 2024
Cosmic Intermediaries, Glass Rice, San Francisco, CA 2023
"F*** Your Manners", A/D/O, Brooklyn NY 2018
"Netscape", Powrplnt, Brooklyn, NY 2016
Group Exhibitions
EFFERVESCENCE, curated by Shannon Lai, Mews, Brooklyn, NY 2025
StandardVision Artist Showcase, Los Angeles, CA 2023
Artists Who Code, Vellum LA x Artsy, 2022
Group Exhibition, Compound Gallery, Yucca Valley, CA 2022
Museum of Pizza, Brooklyn NY 2018
ADIOS: Vancouver Island, Art Helix, Brooklyn NY 2017
REFUGE, Sid Lee Collective, New York, NY 2017
Girls of Summer, Vandervoort Studios, Brooklyn, NY 2015
Typeforce NYC, Type Director's Club, New York, NY 2015
PDX Flash, Compound Gallery, Portland OR 2015
Typeforce 5, Co-Prosperity Sphere, Chicago IL 2014
Mad Science PDX, Gallery 151, Portland OR 2013
Inspiration China, Portland Art Museum, Portland OR 2010
an indicator of a major and inexorable change, of tectonic breadth.
Studio
Cascades ︎︎︎
Energies ︎︎︎
> Patchwork ︎︎︎
Cosmic Intermediaries ︎︎︎
on Motherhood
Psychic Blossom ︎︎︎
F*ck Your Manners ︎︎︎
Public Art
MTA Cyclical Everything ︎︎︎
Commissions
Google Infinite Wonderland ︎︎︎
Spotify LA HQ Mural ︎︎︎
New Yorker ︎︎︎
The Nike Stores ︎︎︎
Saturdays Collection ︎︎︎
Conversations
It’s Nice That︎︎︎
Poster House︎︎︎
Studio
Cascades ︎︎︎
Energies ︎︎︎
> Patchwork ︎︎︎
Cosmic Intermediaries ︎︎︎
on Motherhood
Psychic Blossom ︎︎︎
F*ck Your Manners ︎︎︎
Public Art
MTA Cyclical Everything ︎︎︎
Commissions
Google Infinite Wonderland ︎︎︎
Spotify LA HQ Mural ︎︎︎
New Yorker ︎︎︎
The Nike Stores ︎︎︎
Saturdays Collection ︎︎︎
Conversations
It’s Nice That︎︎︎
Poster House︎︎︎
©Shawna X 2022