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Cecilia Beaven

Lecturer

Contact

Professional Site

Bio

Originally from Mexico City, Cecilia Beaven (she/her) is a Chicago-based visual artist whose practice spans painting, drawing, animation, and sculpture. She holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA from ENPEG La Esmeralda in Mexico City. Through her work, Beaven develops a speculative mythology articulated through distinctive visual narratives that weave a sense of play and absurdity with identity and storytelling.

Her multidisciplinary practice has been presented in solo exhibitions in Chicago, Houston, and Mexico City, and in group exhibitions across Mexico, the United States, Colombia, Sweden, Italy, and Japan. She has also painted murals in cities including Chicago, Houston, Hiketa, Paris, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Pachuca, Tepoztlán, and Tijuana.

Awards

Beaven’s recognitions include the Chicago Artists Coalition Residency (2024–2026), a 3Arts Fellowship (2024), the Radicle Studio Residency at Hyde Park Art Center (2021), the Leroy Neiman Foundation Fellowship at Ox-Bow School of Art (2019), and a Fulbright award (2017). In 2022, Forbes México named her one of the “100 Most Creative Mexicans in the World,” and in 2023, Newcity magazine included her in its “Art 50: Chicago’s Artists’ Artists” list.

Courses

Title Department Catalog Term

Description

Investigate visual storytelling strategies through the contemporary art forms of alternative comics and graphic novels. This course introduces various illustrative approaches, such as writing, storyboarding, penciling, inking/coloring, and prepress preparations, with a diverse exploration of materials including pencil, pen, ink, and collage. Building on this foundation, students learn research methods to develop ideas and produce conceptually-driven, portfolio-quality works through projects that examine narrative structures, material choices, and the integration of text and image. Students are introduced to contemporary artists, illustrators, and designers who transcend the traditional approaches of comics and graphic novels to generate their own audiences. Regular critiques and field trips to the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art, and/or local galleries and comic shops supplement the studio experience.

NOTE: Previous drawing experience required. Students are encouraged to bring a digital camera, tablet, and/or laptop for homework and after-studio hours projects.

Class Number

1045

Credits

1

Description

Investigate visual storytelling strategies through the contemporary art forms of drawing, painting, and alternative comics and graphic novels. You may work with various wet and dry media, including ink, pencil, charcoal, collage, observational drawing, storyboarding, or a combination of different materials. The course will include online demonstrations geared to your passions, time for self-directed work, and comprehensive faculty advising. You will engage in discussions and critiques with a vibrant online community of other students from throughout the country and around the world, create portfolio-quality work, and receive comprehensive guidance on developing competitive applications for college admissions to art and design programs.

Class Number

1025

Credits

1

Description

Investigate visual storytelling and drawing strategies through the contemporary art forms of comics and graphic novels. Explore a variety of illustrative approaches, such as writing, storyboarding, penciling, and inking/coloring. Building on this foundation, students learn research methods to develop ideas and produce projects examining narrative structures, material choices, and integrating text and image. Regular critiques, visits to the Art Institute of Chicago, and exposure to contemporary artists, illustrators, and designers supplement the studio experience. Previous drawing experience is helpful but not required.

Class Number

2400

Credits

1

Description

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.

Class Number

1833

Credits

3

Description

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.

Class Number

1650

Credits

3

Description

The Department of Painting and Drawing offers a wide variety of comics courses, ranging from traditional to experimental methods and techniques. Each course is designed to focus on a specific area of comics production. To learn more about the topic of a specific comics course in which you are interested, please review the course description for that particular class.

Class Number

1839

Credits

3