All About
Lily Stennis-Vinson
Artist Bio
Lily Stennis Vinson, a contemporary multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Omaha, is a 2023 University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate, with a BFA in Fine Arts with an emphasis in Ceramics. Growing up shy in her adolescence, Lily’s hands gave her a voice which allowed her to create visual representations of her words; bringing them to life. Art has been Lily’s passion at the age of six when she began drawing. She explored multiple mediums over the years which were and is currently sculpture, ceramics, painting, and fashion. Her senior year of college she was awarded the Gomez art award for best Capstone Show Artist. Recently ending 2024 as one of the 19th annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award nominee for 3 categories: Outstanding emerging artist, 3D Artist, and Solo Show. She currently works at The Union For Contemporary Art, as the Exhibition and Residency Manager. Including creating in her studio at the Omaha Hot Shops Community where she makes Afrocentric 3D paintings & ceramic sculptures. She is also a style consultant and owner of Li La LéV Boutique. The art created by Lily is where the art of fashion styling and dressing a room is custom to clientele vision. In 2024 she has curated 3 shows in North Omaha community for emerging artists including her own 1st solo show “Afro Expressions” and contributed to 11 exhibitions total within Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska.
Artist Statement
Her sculptural work, regardless of the medium, serves as a powerful expression of her truth as an African American woman. She builds connections with nature, people, and the spiritual world by incorporating texture, abstract forms, and cultural patterns. Figurative language, poetry, and jazz are integral to her creative process, much like an author uses illustration to bring words to life. Her 3D paintings are accompanied by a unique poem, serving as its identifier and titled separately from the artwork itself. Raw materials like hair, leaves, and sawdust are thoughtfully incorporated to personify them as well. The majority of her sculptural work is crafted from earthenware and stoneware clay, where she employs a range of techniques to build intricate surface textures. She emphasizes body features and symbolizes specific characteristics through carving, scratching, and smoothing; imbuing each sculpture with depth and meaning.