About Alaiyo Bradshaw

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 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. Her imaginative ideation took her to her current nest series. Her professional illustration and graphic design work are in the areas of editorial, children’s books, advertising, publishing, flyers, brochures, websites, props for plays, professional magazines, newspapers, merchandising, young readers anthologies, posters, book jackets, storyboards, murals, 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.  

At Parsons School of Design, she is the Director of the First Year program, Assistant Professor of Fine Arts and has taught classes in Art History, Illustration, Digital Design, and Drawing.  

New Brunswick Art Salon 2023 Watercolor and Mixed Media “See the Forest for the Trees”

New Brunswick Art Salon 2021 Fall Watercolor and Mixed Media Exhibition

New Brunswick Art Salon 2019 — Watercolor and Mixed Media Exhibition: “Ephemeral Visions”

Artist Personal Website: www.alaiyobradshaw.com

Email: alaiyo@alaiyobradshaw.com

Artist Interview

Exhibitions

2021

  • Recumbent: The Art of Lying, Equity Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Brooklyn Watercolor Society at BWAC, Brooklyn, NY 
  • The Washhouse, One Year Later, Equity Gallery, New York, NY 

2020     

  • Watercolor Expressions, Gumbo Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 
  • How We Evolve, Art at Minka, Brooklyn, NY 
  • Brooklyn Visions, online exhibition of the Brooklyn Watercolor Society, www.bws.org 

2019                                          

  • Flatbush Artists Exhibition and Sale, Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY 
  • Ephemeral Visions, Alfa Art Gallery, New Brunswick, NJ 
  • A Watercolor Ensemble, Gallery Three, Brooklyn, NY 
  • 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, NY

2018

  • Wish You Were Here 17, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Future Former, Ann Arbor, MI 
  • Flatbush Artists Open Studio Tour, Brooklyn, NY 
  • Flatbush Artists Salon Show 2018, Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY 
  • DaVinci Spring Floral Show, New York, NY 

2017-2018      

  • Exhibition of community artists, Assembly member, 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 
  • Ethnography in the Expanded Field, Graduate Institute for Design, Ethnography and Social Thought, NY, NY 

2015      

  • Flatbush Artist Open Studio Tour, Brooklyn, NY 
  • Flatbush Artists Salon Show 2015, Park Slopes Artist Salon, Brooklyn, NY 

2014                     

  • We Tell Stories, SVA Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Flatbush Artists Open Studio Tour, Brooklyn, 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, MI 
  • 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 Salon Show 2013, 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  

2010     

  • Wish You Were Here 9, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY   

2009

  • Generation 7, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY
  • Small Works, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY  

2008     

  • Postcards, A.I.R. Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Day Job, Parsons Fine Arts Gallery, New York, NY  

2006     

  • Creative Endeavors, Parsons Fine Arts Gallery, New York, NY 

2005

  • Celebrate Black History Month, NWCA, Mt. Kisco, NY 

2004-5     

  • Creating Their Own Image, Aronson Gallery, New York, NY 

2004                                         

  • Women in the Arts, NWCA, Mt. Kisco, NY 

2003 

  • Postcards From The Edge, Lelong Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Trio, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY  
  • Me and A Friend, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY 

2002     

  • Prevailing Human Spirit, Society of Illustrators, New York, NY 
  • Atrium’s Journey: A Decade, Atrium Art Gallery, Morristown, NJ  

2001-2     

  • Watercolor Magic, The Lowe Gallery at Hudson Guild, New York, NY  

2001     

  • Politics and Racism, Fire Patrol No. 5, New York, NY 
  • Recent Work, Limner Gallery, New York, NY 

2000                                         

  • Obese America, Limner Gallery, New York, NY  

1999                                         

  • Grand Opening Group Show, Lewin Gallery, Jim Thorpe, PA  
  • Beyond Boundaries II, Glen Ridge Women’s Club, Glen Ridge, NJ  
  • Visual Rhythms, Atrium Art Gallery, Morristown, NJ 

1998    

  • *(solo show) Alaiyo Bradshaw in Retrospect, Harambee Gallery, Montclair, NJ 
  • Beyond Boundaries, Glen Ridge Women’s Club, Glen Ridge, NJ 
  • Kuumba, Atrium Art Gallery, Morristown, NJ 

1997     

  • Visions of Angels, National Museum of Catholic Art, New York, NY Genesis, St. Joseph’s Plaza, Newark, NJ  

1996     

  • She Said…, Thought Forms Underground Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Say It Loud, Atrium Gallery, Morristown, NJ                              

1995

  • Behind the Mask, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, NY

1994

  • Salon Exhibit, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Small Works Show, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Art Initiatives Salon, Tribeca 148 Gallery, New York, NY 
  • Practicing What We Teach, Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art, Newark, NJ 

1993     

  • Corporeal Identities, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, NY 

1992     

  • Small Works Show, 80 Washington Square East Galleries, New York, NY 
  • Small Works Animal Show, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York, NY 

Awards

2017     Best in Painting and Best in Show Awards, Given by The Mount Kisco Arts Council, Mount Kisco, NY 

2011     The Kenise Barnes Fine Arts Award, Given by The Kenise Barnes Fine Arts Gallery, Larchmont, NY