LAUREN B. WARD
b. 1992 Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island
EDUCATION
2023 – Current
A.B. Visual Arts Honors | Brown University | Providence, RI
2021 – 2023
Psychology & Nursing | Santa Fe Community College | Santa Fe, NM
2012 – 2017
BFA (incomplete) | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Chicago, IL
2011
Painting Intensive | Pacific Northwest College of Art | Portland, OR
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
Blessed Mama | List Art Center | Brown University | Providence, RI
2015
What are you doing Wednesday | Red Kiva Gallery | Chicago, IL
Peace be with the spirits of the night | 1629 Kimball Ave | Chicago, IL
Tug of War | Eely’s Gallery | Chicago, IL
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
Brown University 46th Annual Student Exhibition | Granoff Center for the Creative Arts | Providence, RI
Monumental: Reimagining Memory and Storytelling | Rhode Island School of Design | Ewing House | Providence, RI
2025
Exalted Surface | Brown University | List Art Center | Providence, RI
Something Wicked | East Manning Projects | Providence, RI
Spirited Winds | Gallery X | New Bedford, MA
Touch Tank | Gallery X | New Bedford, MA
Second Stories: Barbara Grandis Artist in Residency Exhibition | Creative Reuse Center of Rhode Island | East Providence, RI
Here Always: A Queer Art Show | Outsider Collective | Pawtucket, RI
Boston-Wide Art Gallery | Harvard University | Boston, MA
Dear Survivor | Sexual Assault Awareness Month Art Exhibition | Sojourner House | Providence, RI
It’s Still Life | Brown University | List Art Center | Providence, RI
Brown University 45th Annual Student Exhibition | Granoff Center for the Creative Arts | Providence, RI
Psychic Smorgasbord | Brown University | List Art Center | Providence, RI
2024
(Re)Group | Brown University Spring Festival of Dance | Ashamu Dance Studio | Providence, RI
2016
Loves Lost | Flat Iron Gallery | Chicago, IL
2015
Do it yourself | Sass House | Chicago, IL
Hell House | Sass House | Chicago, IL
2014
Whore dialogue | The School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Summer Performance Festival | Chicago, IL
2013
Art Bash | School of the Art Institute of Chicago | Student Gallery | Chicago, IL
Chew on it | Defibrillator Gallery | Chicago, IL
AWARDS | RESIDENCIES
2025
Hugh Townley Travel Fellowship Award | Travel Grant |Brown University | Providence, RI
Wendy Edwards Fellowship Award | Painting Materials Grant | Brown University | Providence, RI
Barbara Grandis Artist Residency | Creative Reuse Center of Rhode Island | East Providence, RI
Second Place Winner | Brown University 45th Annual Student Exhibition | Curated by Abdu Ali & Falaks Vasa | Providence, RI
Marlene Malik Sculpture Award | Materials Grant | Brown University | Providence, RI
2021 – 2023
Presidential Scholar | Santa Fe Community College | Santa Fe, NM
2012 – 2017
Distinguished Merit Scholar | School of the Art Institute | Chicago, IL
2011
Presidential Scholar | Pacific Northwest College of Art | Portland, OR
PUBLISHED WORK
2025
Ward, Lauren | I really hope they don’t take away our Medicaid | The Vagabond’s Verse | Issue #1 | August 2025
PRESS
2025
Ward, Lauren | doubtless from the sea | The Vagabond’s Verse | Weekly Verse (June 2025)
Haruta, Devaney | Ward, Lauren | Circle of Life, Circle of Love | Piano (de)composition (March 2025)
Shi, Summer | 45th Annual Student Exhibition showcases bold, experimental works in Granoff Center| The Brown Daily Herald (March 2025)
2024
Nesmith, Naomi | I’m Not Going To Lower My Expectations | The Indy (October 2024)
2023
Everly, Laura | Empowering Single Mothers Through Education | Working Nation (September 2023)
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
2026
Monumental: Reimagining Memory and Storytelling | Rhode Island School of Design | Ewing House | Providence, RI
2025
Vagabond’s Verse Issue #1 Launch | I really hope they don’t take away our medicaid | Village Works Bookstore | New York, NY
RELATED EXPERIENCE
2025 — 2026
Studio Monitor | Painting and Digital Media | Brown University | Providence, RI
Departmental Undergraduate Group Leader | Visual Arts | Brown University | Providence, RI
Meet and plan programming with fellow Visual Arts leaders to create a sense of community within the department.
Help students majoring in art strengthen connections with other VISA concentrators, faculty, and alumni.
Promote events and create alliances among the wider Providence art community.
Sexual Assault Prevention Education Coordinator | Brown University | Providence, RI
Lead SAPE’s educational workshops, table special events, offer guidance during freshman orientations and train new members on SAPE’s curriculum and community objectives.
Promote and develop new strategies to grow and nurture a culture of consent at Brown University
Sexual Abuse Survivor Advocacy | Reflecting Pool | Braver Collective
2025
Teacher Assistant | Fall 2025 Sculpture Foundations | Professor Daniel Stupar | Brown University | Providence, RI
Student-Parent Advocate | SPAA 2024-25 Cohort | 15th Annual Generation Hope Conference | Washington, D.C.
2023 – 2025
Sexual Assault Prevention Education Facilitator | Brown University | Providence, RI
2015 – 2016
Art Teacher | Youth Service Project Summer Program | Chicago, IL
2007 – 2012
Tilesetting | Sean Ward Tile Work | Portland, OR
Cut, set, and grouted tile in exquisite arrangements as directed by my father, who was a third-generation tile setter.