Maddie Dennis

Maddie Dennis is a Visiting Lecturer in the Animation department at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt), where she contributes to the development of emerging artists through teaching and mentorship. Her academic and creative work is deeply rooted in visual storytelling and experimental animation.

Education:

• Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

Maddie's research and artistic practice focus on animation, comic art, and zine creation as accessible forms of narrative expression. Her work often features anthropomorphic vegetables, worms, and vines as metaphors for human relationships and emotional experiences. She emphasizes low-barrier, DIY publishing methods like risograph printing to democratize storytelling. Her recent personal project, "looked like nothing" (2025), explores themes of collaboration, perception (colorblindness), and fragmentation (half of an egg).

Maddie has collaborated professionally with major clients including Adult Swim, PBS, Nearpod, Conservation Law Foundation, and RISD, producing animations, social media content, album covers, and educational materials. Her work blends whimsy with deep emotional resonance, often presented through looping animations, screenprinted posters, and handcrafted zines.

Notable Artistic Projects:

• "looked like nothing" – 22-page 3-color risograph zine (2025)
• Clementine Comic
• Intro sequence for Shallow Graves
• Album cover for Beauquet’s debut release
• Screenprinted poster for Building Infinity Lights Out
• Animations for Adult Swim social media

Maddie is also active in muralism and illustration, further extending her visual storytelling into public and community spaces. Her teaching philosophy centers on creative experimentation, personal voice, and accessibility in art-making.