Bio
Serena Viola Corson (b. 1996; Wilmington, North Carolina) is an American painter currently in São Paulo, Brazil. She received her MFA from Louisiana State University in 2026 and her BFA from Florida State University in 2019. Corson’s practice explores mysticism and ecofeminism through figurative painting and drawing. Working from personal narrative, regional memory, and symbolic imagery, her paintings blur the boundaries between fantasy and lived experience.
She has also exhibited nationally in group exhibitions at Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco, CA; the New York Academy of Art, New York, NY; Berkley Art Center, Berkeley, CA; and Soft Times Gallery, San Francisco, CA, among others. Corson was awarded an Honorable Mention for the 2025 AXA Art Prize through the New York Academy of Art and has received multiple juror’s awards and research grants for her work. In addition to her studio practice, Corson has worked as an educator and illustrator.
Solo + Two Person Shows
2026 Touching Grass, Glassell Gallery, Baton Rouge LA
2022 Flora and Font, The Mill, San Francisco CA
2021 The Appalachia of Florida: Welcome to Bithlo by the Water, The Plant, Tallahassee FL
Selected Group Exhibitions
2025 AXA Art Prize, New York Academy of Art, New York NY
Dress Rehearsal, Cary Saurage Arts Center, Baton Rouge LA
2024 Oddkin, Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco CA
2023 A Ripple in the Garden, Soft Times Gallery, San Francisco CA
Bay Area Contemporary Art Show, The Dojo, San Francisco CA
2022 Crimson, Soft Times Gallery, San Francisco CA
Pamplemousse, Pamplemousse Gallery, Richmond VA
No Way Out But Through, Berkley Art Center, Berkley CA
Melting, SFWA Gallery, San Francisco CA June
Tides of Change, Drawing Room SF, San Francisco CA
2021 Florida Show, Moisturizer Gallery, Gainesville FL
What Does Community Look Like To You?, Brush Art Gallery, Lowell MA
2020 See Your Neighbor (virtual), 621 Gallery, Tallahassee FL
Artist Relief Exhibition (virtual) Kole Trent Gallery, Cocoa Beach FL
2019 Remote Dialogue, The University of West Georgia, Carrollton GA
From Creation to Creator: E.W.G.’s Second Annual Art Show, Tallahassee FL
2018 Girls Who Draw Girls, 621 Gallery, Tallahassee FL
Residencies/Grants/Awards
2026 Maison Verte residency, Marnay-sur-Seine, France
2025 Honorable Mention, AXA Art Prize, New York Academy of Art
2023 2024 LSU Graduate Student Scholarly & Creative Activity Support Fund
2022 Juror's Award, No Way Out But Through, Berkley Art Center
Juror's Award, Melting, San Francisco Women Artists Gallery
2019 IDEA Grant Recipient
Susan & Mark Messersmith Art Scholar Award
SIX Research and Creative Grant
People’s Choice Award at Remote Dialogue Exhibition, UWG
Selected Bibliography
2026 Utopia Is Woman: Glassel Gallery is turned into an ecofeminist paradise
https://midbrow.org/touching-grass-reimagining-the-commons-review/
2022 Mystic Moon Mamas and Matisse: What inspires artist Serena Viola Corson
https://48hills.org/2022/08/mystic-moon-mamas-and-matisse-what-inspires-artist-serena-viola-corson/
2022 No Way Out But Through, Curator's Essay
https://www.berkeleyartcenter.org/no-way-out-but-through
2022 Harvard Alumna, Kristen Ghodsee, with her new Serena Viola Corson painting
https://scholar.harvard.edu/kristenghodsee/blog/amazing-painting-serena-viola-corson
2021 No Islands: Serena Viola Corson documentary by Cluessa
(won Audience Choice - Short Doc at the Tallahassee Film Festival 2022)
2020 Finding Your Niche with Serena Corson
Education
2026 MFA Louisiana State University
2024 Summer program, Burren College of Art, Ireland
2019 BFA Florida State University
Teaching
2026 Figure Drawing 1, Louisiana State University
2024-2026 Drawing Composition, Louisiana State University
2025-2026 Figure Drawing Workshops, Glassell Gallery
Publications/Commissioned Work
2024 Illustrator, Focail na mBan: Women’s Words by Manchán Magan (Book, Ireland)
2022 Goodfit Puzzles (sold at Meow Wolf and Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art)
Other
2019-present Art Nunz artist collective member
2026 Artist Talk with HORIZON: Women’s Voices, Vision Train online
2020 Artist Talk with 621 Gallery at Ology, Tallahassee FL
