Curriculum Vitae
Mariah Plakas - Visual Story Artist
Resides and works in New York
Education
2023 MFA in Visual Narrative, School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, NY
2020 BFA in Studio Art, Minors in Graphic Design and Art History, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
2018 Adelphi University's Renaissance Art & Art History Study Abroad Program, Florence, Italy
2014-16 Bethpage High School, Advanced Placement Art, English Language, and Literature Student, Bethpage NY
Internships and Mentorships
2022-23 Visual Narrative Mentorship with Cheyenne Curtis, School of Visual Arts
2019-20 Visual Narrative Mentorship with Geoff Grogan, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
2019 Studio Artist and Art History Internship at Walt Whitman Birthplace Association through Adelphi University, Huntington Station
and Garden City, NY
Awards and Grants
2023 Merit-Based Housing Grant for Low-Residency Visual Narrative Program from the School of Visual Arts
Sketchboard Pro Thesis Sponsorship Award from MFA Visual Narrative, SVA Alumni Sponsorship Committee, and
Sketchboard Pro
2022 Merit-Based Housing Grant for Low-Residency Visual Narrative Program from the School of Visual Arts
2020 Conger Goodyear Award for Studio Art from Adelphi University
2018 Study Abroad Grant for Adelphi University's Renaissance Art & Art History Study Abroad Program in Florence, Italy
2016-20 Dean's Talent Award from Adelphi University
Group Exhibitions
2023 We Made This: 2023 MFA Visual Narrative Thesis Exhibition, SVA Gramercy Gallery, School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, NY,
curated by Christina Roussos, Anelisa Garfunkel, Lucea Spinelli, and Matt Rota
2022 Open Studios 2022: Form Empathy and Character Play, Power of Story, Shaping Your Story, and Visual Research, MFA Visual
Narrative 10th Floor Gallery, School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, NY, curated by Christina Roussos and Bobby Walles, Jonathan
Gottschall, Anna Eveslage, Jenny Goldstick and Tim Szetela
Digital Short Story: Small Bytes, Big Fiction, Gather Virtual Gallery, School of Visual Arts, curated by Jim Rugg and Mark Sable
Alumni Art Exhibition, Performing Arts Center Gallery, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY curated by Kellyann Monaghan
2021 Open Studios 2021: Analogue to Digital, History of Photography, Narrative Writing, and Visual Explorations, Virtual Gallery,
School of Visual Arts, curated by Matt Rota, Stacy Morrison, Anna Eveslage, Anelisa Garfunkel, and Nathan Fox
Women In Art 2021, Virtual Gallery, curated by Las Laguna Art Gallery
2020 BFA Thesis Exhibition: Memorabilia, Performing Arts Center Gallery, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY curated by Mariah
Plakas
BFA Thesis Exhibition: Memorabilia, Virtual Gallery, Adelphi University, curated by Mariah Plakas
Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society Spring 2020 Pop-Swap, Virtual Gallery, Adelphi University, curated by Kristen Dulovic
and Mariah Plakas
2019 Senior Showcase, Blodgett Hall, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, curated by Mariah Plakas
Walt Whitman’s 200th Bicentennial Birthday Celebration, Walt Whitman Birthplace Association, Huntington Station, NY, curated
by the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association and Kellyann Monaghan
Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society Spring 2019 Exhibition, Performing Arts Center Gallery, Adelphi University, Garden
City, NY, curated by Charlotte Astre
Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society Spring 2019 Pop-Swap, Blodgett Hall, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, curated by
Charlotte Astre
Junior Showcase, Klapper Center for Fine Arts, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, curated by Mariah Plakas
2018 Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society Spring 2018 Exhibition: This Is Not What It Seems, Performing Arts Center Gallery,
Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, curated by Samantha Adelberg
Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society Spring 2018 Pop-Swap, Blodgett Hall, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, curated by
Samantha Adelberg
2017 Chalk Up, Blodgett Hall Lawn, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, curated by Mariah Plakas
Artist Talks
2024 Featured guest on the heavy metal and rock music podcast, Rat Salad Review, hosted by Wayne Noon and Lou Mavs
2023 We Made This: Thesis Sit-Down Film Screenings for "Blitzar Park" and "What We Discover Along the Way," SVA Gramercy
Gallery, School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, NY, curated by Mariah Plakas, Rose Vincelli Gustine, Lucea Spinelli, Matt Rota, Nathan Fox, and SVA's BFA Animation Department
2022 Second Year Informal Chat, Master of Fine Arts Visual Narrative Studio, School of Visual Arts, New York, NYC, curated by Joan
McCabe and the MFAVN Class of 2023
2021 Eighteenth Annual Adelphi University Scholarship and Creative works Conference, Virtual Oral Presentation, Adelphi
University, moderated by Conference Committee Co-Chairs Nathan R. George and Alexander Heyl
2020 BFA Thesis Exhibition: Memorabilia, Performing Arts Center Gallery, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, moderated by
Kellyann Monaghan and Jen Maloney
2019 Senior Showcase, Blodgett Hall, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, moderated by Geoff Grogan
Walt Whitman’s 200th Bicentennial Birthday Celebration, Walt Whitman Birthplace Association, Huntington Station, NY,
moderated by Kellyann Monaghan
Prospective Students Chat, Bachelor of Fine Arts Art History Studio, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, moderated by Dale Flashner
Junior Showcase, Klapper Center for Fine Arts, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, moderated by Kellyann Monaghan
2018 Art Share, Blodgett Hall, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, moderated by Charlotte Astre
2017 Chalk Up Sculpture Performance, Blodgett Hall Lawn, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, moderated by Christopher Saucedo
Artist Workshops and Teaching Experience
2025 Studio Art Teacher at Adelphi University for STEP/LPP, Garden City, NY
2023 Studio Art Teacher at Agape Arts Center, Whitestone and Elmhurst, NY
2022 Studio Art Instructor at Ashcan Studio of Art, Little Neck, Syosset, and Manhattan NY
Graffiti Instructor at Graff Lab Studio, Holtsville, NY
2021 Clay Pottery and Self Portrait Outdoor Workshop at Locust Valley Library ran by Mariah Plakas for a Girl Scout Troop, Locust
Valley, NY
2020-21 Virtual Sculpture Tutor
2016 Character Design Workshop at Bethpage High School ran by Mariah Plakas for BHS Art Club, Bethpage, NY
Publications
2024 La-Z-Boy Comfort Connection: Retail Win of the Week, La-Z-Boy Communications Blog
2023 Congrats to the Sketchboard Pro Thesis Sponsorship Award Winners Article, SVA MFA Visual Narrative Blog
2022 Master of Fine Arts Visual Narrative Open Studios 2022 Event Poster, School of Visual Arts, Manhattan, NYC
2021 Honey Moon: Narrative Writing Summer 2021 Zine, edited by Anna Eveslage and published by Sean McInerney
2020 Artist Spotlight 01: Digital Zine, FOURALL Magazine, curated by Lexi Ariel
Projects
2022 The Garden, novel written by K. S. Birch, illustrated cover by Mariah Plakas
Medical Blog Writer for Beyond Medical Staffing and Inovativ Scrubs
2021 Season 1 of HBO Max's And Just Like That Sticker Designs by several artists including Mariah Plakas for Set Props, North
Center Productions
2020 Alzheimer's Disease: Video for 6th Graders, written by Lana Shuris and Nootshy Romage, animated by Mariah Plakas
2019 Fall Arts Festival Wall Mural assistant to Brittany Baldwin, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Department of Art and Art History & Department of Anthropology Event Poster, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
College of Arts and Sciences Inaugural Salon Event Posters, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Chalk-Up Event Poster, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
2018 International Game Developers Association "Spring Play: Game Expo" Event Poster, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Background actor for the romantic comedy film, Cruise, directed and written by Robert D. Siegel
2014-16 Pop Culture Article Blogger for Sonic Eclectic Vision Network
Private Collections
2019 Wall Mural of Disney's Nightmare Before Christmas collaboration with Sabrina Varga, AMC Dine-In Levittown 10, Levittown, NY
2016 Wall Mural of George Orwell's 1984, Bethpage High School, Bethpage NY
Wall Mural of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper collaboration with Amy Zheng, Bethpage High School,
Bethpage NY
Wall Mural of William Shakespeare's Hamlet collaboration with Amy Zheng, Bethpage High School, Bethpage NY
Art Tables at Conventions, Fairs, and Festivals
2024 New York Comic Con Artist Alley at the Javits Center in Manhattan, NY, assistant to Nathan Fox
2022 Garden of Her Art Fair at Spirit's Promise Equine Rescue in Riverhead, NY, curated by Colored Colors
MoCCA Arts Festival at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC, NY with the SVA MFAVN Program
2021 East End Market Art Fair at Jamesport Farm Brewery in Riverhead, NY, curated by Colored Colors
New York Comic Con Artist Alley at the Javits Center in Manhattan, NY, assistant to Nathan Fox
Relevant Experience
2024 In-Store and In-Home Interior Designer for La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Decor, East Patchogue, NY
2019-20 Vice President of Adelphi University's Gamma Sigma Chapter of Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity
Co-managed the Instagram page for Adelphi University's Gamma Sigma Chapter of Kappa Pi International Honorary
Art Fraternity
2018-20 Promotional Movie Theater Window Painter for AMC Dine-In Levittown 10 and AMC Dine-In Huntington Square 12, NY
2018-19 Art Department Receptionist at Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
2018 Co-Managed the Instagram page for Adelphi University's Study Abroad in Florence, Italy
2016-20 Prop, Sound, and Lighting Stage Technician at Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
Extracurriculars
2017-20 Sister and Officer of Adelphi University's Alpha Alpha Chapter of Delta Delta Delta Sorority and Fraternity
2016-20 Event Planning Chair of Adelphi University's Student Activities Board
2016-19 Notetaker and Peer Editor for students with disabilities at Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
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Skills
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Adobe- Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere, Lightroom
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Toon Boom Harmony- Storyboard Pro
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iPad Procreate & Dreams
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DesignFiles & CAD
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Microsoft & Google Suites
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JavaScript- HTML & CSS