About:

Lauren Napolitano is a self-taught contemporary folk artist, born in California and currently based in Austin, TX.  She works in ceramic, painting, murals + public based art, tattooing, and illustration, with most of these processes inspired by ancestry and travel. Napolitano has shown extensively throughout the United States (Major US cities: NYC, LA, Denver, Miami (Art Basel), New Orleans, San Francisco, & Austin) and internationally (Mexico, Spain, England, Portugal, Nepal). Notable collaborations with Burton snowboards, Creator of POW! WOW! Nepal, a mural commission at World Trade Center, and 1xRun.

From the artist:

“My work is about celebrating the handmade and the imperfections that come along with it. I am incredibly influenced by my mother’s Mexican heritage and I lean heavily on these ancestors as I create and gather inspiration. Much of what I create falls between the themes of being surrounded/supported or the symbiotic energy/movement between every living organism. Earth and sky, life and death, love and sorrow, I explore these connections through invented + inspired patterns and symbolism in order to find balance, growth and healing. Tattooing gives me an opportunity to go deeper with those who connect to my work. We are able to sit and exchange stories, or silence, and we have a image that imprints this moment for the rest of their life.”

For all opportunities, please reach out via elle.napolitano@gmail.com

Noteworthy Projects:

2023:

• February/March- SXSW Group Show- Preacher Gallery- Austin, TX
• May- “Affinities” Group show at RVCA SF- San Francisco, CA

2022:

• August- Site Specific Mural Commission- Gospel, NYC
• September- Public Mural Commission, Asbury Park Boardwalk- Asbury Park, NJ
• October- Ceramics collection with Settle Ceramics

2021:

• March- Print Release with House of Roulx, Boston, MA
• April- RIO ABAJO RIO, Solo show. Heron Arts, San Francisco
• April- Mural, private commission. Phoenix, AZ
• June- Window Installation, Terrapin Crossroads. Denver, CO
• June- Site specific installation at 30 Pearl residences. Boulder, CO
• August- Mural, private commission. Austin, TX
• October- Mural, Commissioned by Tonatiuh.  Mexico City
• October- ALWAYS:::THEN, Solo show. Solhawk, Lyons, CO

2020

• PANDEMIC
• May- Ceramics collection with Settle Ceramics
• August- Public Mural Commission, Babewalls- Denver, CO
• November- Private Mural Commission- World Trade Center, NYC

2019:

• February- Print Release with House of Roulx, Boston, MA
• March- Mystico, Group show at Helikon Gallery, Denver, CO
• April- Together, Group Show at KP Projects, Los Angeles, CA
• April- Print Release for Women’s Day with 1xRun, Detroit, MI
• June- Private Mural Commission, Richmond, CA
• June- Private Mural Commission, Boulder Creek, CA
• Collaboration with Burton Snowboards, Women’s Line
• Collaboration with Ned. (Branding) Denver, CO
• November- Casa Altamar Residency, 5 murals completed in Tulum, MX
• November- East Austin Studio Tour Participant, Austin, TX

2018:

• January- Private Mural Commission, Casa Xixim. Soliman Bay, Mexico
• February- FLASH, Group Show at Spoke Art SF
• February- SHORTS, Group show at Alto Gallery, Denver, CO
• March- Interior Design + Murals- Red Truck Clubhouse, New Orleans
• March- Entrance Mural- Moonwind Trading Co., Joshua Tree, CA
• April- POW! WOW! Nepal- Koseli School, Kathmandu, Nepal
• April- Site Specific Murals- Hotel ME Ibiza, Ibiza, Spain
• April- Site Specific Installation- Hotel ME Madrid, Madrid, Spain
• May- Site Specific Mural, Boulder Creek Path, Boulder, CO
• June- Local Language Residency – Oakland, CA
• July- BENT TEMPLE Solo Show, Local Language – Oakland, CA
• August- THREE OCEANS Solo Show, Preacher Gallery – Austin, TX
• August- Ninth Wave Ceramic Residency in Asbury Park, NJ
• September- Site Specific Mural, The Lydian- Denver, CO
• September- Site Specific Mural, Native Hostel- Austin, TX
• October- Storefront mural for Midnight Rambler- Denver, CO

2017:

• January – Mural project with Tulum Art Club, Tulum, MX
• April – Project collaboration with Koseli Foundation + Satya Collective, Kathmandu, Nepal
• May- Mural Project – Las Palmas, Tulum, MX
• September- Mural- Colorado CRUSH, Denver, CO
• September- Mural- KAABOO Festival, Del Mar, CA
• September- Mural- Murals in the Market, Detroit MI
• October- Mural- PowWow San Jose, San Jose, CA
• November- Mural- Private Commission Collaboration with Jonny Alexander, Denver, CO

2016:

• March-April Ceramic Residency at Residencia Gorila Tulum + Valladolid, Mexico
• April – Permanent Mural – Chris Roberts Antieau Gallery, New Orleans, LA
• May- “Better Habits” 3 Person Show, Athen B Gallery, Oakland, CA
• June- Group Show, Rymer Gallery, Nashville, TN
• June – “Natural Mystics” Solo Show, Svper Ordinary, Denver, CO
• July- Sunset Campout Installation- Beldentown, CA
• August- Private Residential Murals- Tulum, Mexico
• September-  KABOO, Del Mar, CA
• September – Music Stage Mural with Bunnie Reiss. Symbiosis Gathering, California
• September- “Summers Ghost” Parlor Gallery, Asbury Park, NJ
• October – “Infinite::Intimate” collaborative group show with Monica Canilao, Jason Borders and Caitlin McCormack – Red Truck Gallery, New Orleans, LA
• December- SCOPE Art Show, Art Basel – Miami, FL

2015:

• On Site Mural for Red Truck Gallery, SCOPE Art Fair, Art Basel, Miami, FL
• Ephemeral Mural- 836M, San Francisco, CA
• LHR/LAX, Group Show- Stolen Space, London UK
• 4%ers, Group Show- FFDG, San Francisco, CA
• Housewarming, Group Show- Athen B Gallery, Oakland, CA
• Alchemy- Group Show Curated by Monica Canilao- Inner State Gallery, Detroit, MI
• Bar Fausto Mural- Denver, CO
• Of Eros and Psyche- Svper Ordinary, Denver, CO
• Equliux, Group Show- Flatcolor Gallery, Seattle, WA
• Moonrise – Solo Show – Batey, Tulum, Mexico
• Group Show- Stephanie Chefas Projects, Portland, OR
• Restaurare, Immersive Painting and Design – Tulum, MX

2014:

• Salud al Sol, Residencia Gorila, Mural – Tulum, Mexico
• Juvenile Prison Mural Project, Mural – Mexico City, Mexico
• Kid Dynamo Storefront, Window Mural – Berkeley, CA
• A Light Within – Installation – Sunset, Beldentown
• Loyal – Solo Show – Redux, Alameda
• 7th & Brannan Mural, San Francisco
• ArtBeats Art Fair (Curator), – Pier 70, San Francisco
• On Site Mural- SCOPE Art Fair with Red Truck Gallery (New Orleans) –  Miami FL
• Broad Spectrum, Group Show – Empire 7, San Jose, CA
• Estados Naturales, Group Show – Fifty24MX, Mexico City
• Fevers – One Night Show w/ Cannon Dill + Brett Flanigan, Turpentine Gallery, Oakland, CA
• The Passage, Group Show – Orinda Public Library, Orinda, CA

2013

• Old Crow Storefront, Window Mural – Oakland, CA
• A Well Marked Path, Solo Show – White Walls, San Francisco, CA
• 10 Year Anniversary Show, Group Show – White Walls, San Francisco, CA
• I Heart LV- Group Show – White Walls, San Francisco, CA
• Friends & Lovers, Group Show – Old Crow, Oakland, CA
• Children’s Fairyland Fundraiser – Oakland, CA
• Symbiosis Gathering, Live Mural – Lathrop, CA
• 8×10 Show – Faultline Artspace, Oakland, CA
• Encompassed- Two Person Show – Rise Above, Oakland, CA
• Big Umbrella Studios, San Francisco, CA
• Collaboration with Lucien Shapiro
• Hands & Pants, Collaboration with John Casey
• Mural collaboration with Skinner, Brett Flannigan, Jon Wayshack & Adriana Sparkhul – Oakland, CA
• Winter Group Show – Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2012

• Reckless in Love Shack, collaboration with Shrine On – Symbiosis Festival, Pyramid Lake, NV & Lightning in a Bottle Festival, Los Angeles, CA
• Stand Tall Part III – Old Crow, Oakland, CA
• Winter Group Show, Group Show – Shooting Gallery, San Francisco, CA
• World Saving Device, Group Show – The Hive, Oakland, CA
• Endless Canvas Small Show – Warehouse 416, Oakland, CA