Alaiyo Bradshaw’s artwork takes a passionate view of a social conscience that incorporates drawing and painting through visual journalism. In her work, she reconstructs dreams, children’s stories, cultural iconography, ethnography, and social issues. She brings her training as an illustrator and graphic designer into her work as a fine artist. She thinks of her paintings as single-frame narratives—windows into her subject. Her art is linked by repeated formal concerns as well as through its conceptual content. She uses watercolor as a medium to create sentimentality, translucency, and texture.

Bradshaw earned a BFA in Illustration, Fine Arts, and Art History at the University of Michigan. She earned her MFA in Visual Journalism at the School of Visual Arts and has pursued graduate studies in Art History and Painting at Pratt Institute. She is a board member of the New York Artists Equity Association, Inc., and the president and signature member of the Brooklyn Watercolor Society.

At Parsons School of Design, Bradshaw is an associate professor of fine arts and has taught classes in art history, illustration, digital design, and clay building. Additionally, she is the Director of the First Year program, where she teaches students about drawing, painting, making, and color study through digital and analog methods. 

Her professional illustration and graphic design work are in areas of:

  • editorial,
  • children’s books,
  • advertising,
  • publishing,
  • flyers,
  • brochures,
  • websites,
  • props for plays,
  • magazines,
  • newspapers,
  • merchandising,
  • posters,
  • book jackets,
  • storyboards,
  • murals,
  • and a custom-made accessory line.

Her clients include:

  • Amsterdam News,
  • Actors Theater Workshop,
  • The Advocate Magazine,
  • Brian Bellinger Films,
  • The College Board,
  • Circe Ediciones, S.A.,
  • The Guide New Era Publication,
  • Harcourt Brace,
  • Heinle & Heinle,
  • The Jewish Theatre of NY,
  • McGraw Hill,
  • Metropolitan Junior Baseball League, Inc.,
  • PSE&G,
  • 20/20,
  • The New York Times Magazine,
  • Ward’s Communication,
  • and more.

She has exhibited at:

  • The OPUS Gallery in Mount Kisco, NY, 
  • The Society of Illustrators,
  • The Hudson Guild,
  • Fire Patrol No. 5,
  • Limner Gallery,
  • National Museum of Catholic Art,
  • 80 Washington Square East,
  • Ward-Nasse,
  • A.I.R. Gallery,
  • Equity Gallery,
  • BWAC,
  • and several other galleries in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

Bradshaw has been a participant in five of the Alfa Art Gallery’s Watercolor and Mixed Media Exhibitions.

 

Artist Statement: 

Bradshaw’s artwork takes a passionate view of a social conscience that incorporates drawing and painting through visual journalism. In her work, she reconstructs dreams, children’s stories, cultural iconography, ethnography, and social issues. She brings her training as an illustrator and graphic designer into her work as a fine artist. She thinks of her paintings as single-frame narratives–windows into the subject. Her artwork is linked by repeated formal concerns as well as through its conceptual content. Each personal project consists of multiple works grouped around specific themes and iconography. She uses watercolor as a medium to create depth, translucency, and opacity. 

In her conception, her art means bringing images to life through representational depictions reflecting a visual language that she speaks.  

Selected Exhibitions:

2024
GREEN: Monsters, Money, Lust, Luck and Lucifer, Equity Gallery, New York, NY

See the Forest for the Trees, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ 

2023
SILVER and GOLD, GAIA Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

The 2023 Autumn Exhibition of Brooklyn Watercolor Society, Brooklyn Waterfront Alliance Gallery Brooklyn, NY 

2022
“My Body/My Choice,” A.I.R Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

“Spring Show – Celebrating our 50th Anniversary,” Brooklyn Watercolor Society at BWAC, Brooklyn, NY

2021
“Mirror to the World,” Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ

“The Wash house, One Year Later,” Equity Gallery, New York, NY

“The Art of Lying,” Equity Gallery, New York, NY

Brooklyn Watercolor Society at BWAC, Brooklyn, NY

2020
“Watercolor Expressions,” Gumbo Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

“How We Evolve,” Art at Minka, Brooklyn, NY

2019
“Ephemeral Visions,” Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ

“National Juried Exhibition,” First Street Gallery, (Chelsea) New York, NY

“Watercolor Potpourri,” Gumbo Gallery, Brooklyn, NY

Artisan Market, Fort Green Park, Brooklyn, NY

“Art in Bloom,” Studio 6 Gallery, Fort Tilden, New York, NY

2018 
“The Spring Floral Show,” DaVinci Artist Supply, New York, NY

“Future Former,” University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

“Wish You Were Here 17,” A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY

“Open House,” (one-person show,) Brooklyn, NY

2017-2018  
Exhibition of community artists, Assemblymember, Rodneyse Bichotte, State Government Office, Brooklyn, NY

2017 
“The Figure,” Mount Kisco Public Library, Mount Kisco, NY

“Flatbush Artists Open Studio Tour,” Brooklyn, NY

“Flatbush Artists Salon Show 2017,” Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY

“Art Show at the Farmhouse,” (one-person show,) Gilmanton, NH

“Open House,” (one-person show,) Brooklyn, NY

2016  
“Wish You Were Here 15,” A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY

2015
“Flatbush Artists Salon Show 2015,” Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY

2014
“SVA MFA Illustration as Visual Essay Alumni show,” New York, NY

“Offense and Dissent,” Sheila Johnson Design Center, NY, NY

2013
“A Horse of Course,” Arts Westchester, White Plains, NY

(2 person show) “Art Xtremely,” Showcasing the works of Alaiyo Bradshaw and Mwanza Daily, LT Graphics and Artist Showroom, Detroit, Ml

“Flatbush Artists Salon Show 2013”, Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY

2012
“Rock of Ages,” Mount Kisco Library, Mount Kisco, NY

“Wish You Were Here 11”, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY

“The New Show 2012”,  Parsons Fine Arts Gallery, New York, NY

“Flatbush Artists SaIon Show 2012”, Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY

2011
“Drawing Lab: The Sensori-Motor City,” Aronson Gallery, New York, NY

“Wish You Were Here 10,”, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY

“Art and Creative Research,” Parsons Fine Arts Gallery, New York, NY

“Larchmont Arts Festival,” Larchmont, NY

Selected Published Illustrations/Commissions:

2024
PALMETTO PUBLISHING, North Charleston, SC, Illustrator for cover “Black World Series” by William M.T. Forrester 

2022
GALLERY PLAYERS theater, Brooklyn, NY, Painting used as a prop for play “Fugitive Colors” by Barbara Anderson

2021                                         
METROPOLITAN JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC, “Passing the Torch,” Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Negro Baseball League                                                 

2019-20
Brooklyn, NY, Illustrator, “Caribbean Vulnerabilities,” by Denise Roberts, PhD

2018 
PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL FOR GRANADA, Illustrator

2017
LOON POND, Gilmanton, NH, Illustrator of Logo and T-Shirt design

METROPOLITAN JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC, Richmond, VA, Illustrator, and Designer

2016 
JAH CRAFT, Brooklyn, NY, Illustrator of Logo and T-Shirt design

XLIBRIS CORPORATION, Brooklyn, NY, Illustrator, “Painting POETRY,” by Adisa Andwele, poetic interpretations of art.

2014-15
METROPOLITAN JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA Illustrator.

TOWN OF MAMARONECK, Mamaroneck, NY, Illustrator for a promotional painting of a historical landscape

2013
METROPOLITAN JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC, Richmond, VA, Illustrator, and Designer.

2012
AMSTERDAM NEWS, NYC, Illustrator, article: ”Former MLB Stars at Youth All-Star Games on MLK Weekend,” January 19-25th, page 41

METROPOLITAN JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE, INC, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Illustrator and Designer

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TOWN OF MAMARONECK CELEBRATING the 350TH ANNIVERSARY, Mamaroneck, NY, Illustrator of the promotional painting hanging as a permanent collection in the town hall.

2010-11
The Bobby Bonds Memorial Symposium, Orlando, FL, Illustrator and Designer for a brochure.

Selected Television/Radio/Online Interviews:

2021
Featured artist video interview on the history of her career and content within her work in the Mirror to the World Show at Alfa Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ

2019
Featured artist video interview on the creative process and compositions within her work in the Watercolor and Mixed Media Show at Alfa Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ

2014
Satellite Radio Interview, November 15, 2014, 11:00-11:30. See blog post for details

2013
One of three featured Ditmas Park, Brooklyn artists discussing their practice on Neighborhood Beat, Brooklyn Independent Television, Brooklyn, NY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7TWBr2QVG4

Featured interview in The Brooklyn ARTery segment of Inspired, Soundbooth Productions, Brooklyn, NY

2012
Press coverage interview segment on Alaiyo’s artwork and participation in the Flatbush Artists 2012 Salon Show, Chanel 12, Brooklyn, NY, Brie Arts Media Production, Neighborhood Beat: http://www.flatbushartists.org/press.htm

Featured interview segment on my work and practice as an illustrator and fine artist as the recipient of the Kenise Barnes Fine Arts Award, LMC-TV Productions, Larchmont Art Show