Lily-Grace Dawson
Lily-Grace Dawson is a contemporary painter based in the North East of England, most specifically Sunderland. A graduate of the University of Sunderland, Dawson received the New Graduate Award after curating part of her degree show that presented her distinctive visual language and thematic approach. Her work explores the intersections of identity, femininity, and psychological complexity through an uncanny, surrealist perspective.
Informed by a neurodivergent perspective, that shows in her painting style, Dawson’s painting practice is marked by a fragmented and textured painting technique that challenges conventional notions of relationships and beauty, allowing the art to embrace the raw and ugly. Her degree show at the University of Sunderland expressed the initial and early exploration of these themes, laying the foundation for a working practice that embraces vulnerability.
Beyond the studio practice, Dawson has been making attempts to contribute to the regional art community through roles like invigilating local exhibitions. This includes a recent exhibition at 36 Lime Street, an art venue in Newcastle. Being an emerging artist is a vital part of her identity and she is committed to building a sustainable creative career by actively seeking accessible opportunities, supporting inclusive networks and trying to implement her own practice that is socially engaging with the themes of societal expectations.
Lily-Grace Dawson’s work exists in a liminal space where sweetness distorts into the grotesque, and innocence becomes a protective veil for something more deeply rooted. Through a surrealist-inspired practice, she explores themes of femininity and relationships, interrogating how individual perceptions and social expectations consume raw truths and conceal harsh realities. Her use of plush toys and childlike figures contrasts sharply with darker, more mature subject matter, often resulting in uncanny and unsettling imagery that invites discomfort and confusion.
The fragmented, tactile, and unfinished quality of her paintings reflects her experience as a neurodivergent artist. Rather than striving for polished visual harmony, she embraces a more chaotic and nonlinear methodology that allows for the creation of a larger volume of work. For Dawson, the texture of the paint becomes a form of language, and imperfections serve as a powerful mode of expression. This approach transforms neurodivergence into a strength, amplifying recurring themes of defiance and complexity within her practice.
Her new portfolio marks a shift toward more immersive formats, with plans to scale up her paintings and develop dominating installations. This next phase will continue to examine cultural tropes and gender performance, critiquing the ways in which femininity is infantilised and hyper-sexualised. Ultimately, Dawson’s work aims to confront viewers with visual contradictions—cute yet grotesque, innocent yet provocative, seductive yet repulsive.
@lilygracedawsonart