Liam Cassidy

Liam Cassidy is a Lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis, affiliated with the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and the Department of Art. He teaches in the Bachelor of Arts in Design and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design programs. His work bridges visual culture and narrative design, drawing influences from artists like Matt Groening, Daniel Clowes, and Philip Guston. Cassidy’s comics blend slapstick humor with empathetic character studies, often set in futuristic or absurd scenarios inspired by St. Louis landscapes and local typefaces.

Research focuses on authenticity in character creation, the role of comedy in art, and visual storytelling techniques. His style combines loose cartooning with detailed narratives, reflecting a fusion of early comics and fine art aesthetics.

Recent publications include Cheap Fun Comics Issue #0 (2024) and Muscle (2024), both self-published. His work explores themes of absurdity and human flaws through experimental formats. Awards include the 2024 Walter Reed Award for Excellence in Writing on Visual Culture and the 2020 Swan Fellowship.

Cassidy emphasizes humor as a tool to confront pain, rooted in his Irish immigrant upbringing. He advises students on graphic storytelling and maintains an active creative practice, often incorporating local St. Louis elements into his work.