Thomas Ray Willis

Thomas Ray Willis is an Assistant Professor of Studio Art at the University of Mount Saint Vincent, based in the Division of Communication, Art, and Media. He holds an MFA from New York University and a BA from the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Willis’s work spans painting, sculpture, performance, and installation, often exploring themes of light’s social function, urban identity, and material recontextualization. His research interrogates how art intersects with consumption, memory, and cultural dichotomies, particularly through his Las Vegas upbringing.

Education:

• MFA in Studio Art, New York University (2019)
• BFA in Painting and Drawing, University of Nevada Las Vegas (2009)

Research Interests:

• Light as a transcendent social tool (from fire to LED)
• Reimagining utilitarian objects as art (e.g., Garden Paintings, Canvas Kite)
• Performance art interrogating art-world critique processes (NYU MFA Art Critique project)
• Critical engagement with consumer culture through participatory installations
• Biographical narratives embedded in public art

Recent Works & Exhibitions:

• Thoughts and Prayers Casino (2018): LED light installation interrogating spectacle and community
• NYU MFA Art Critique (2018-2019): Conceptual performance involving stenographic documentation
• Residency at Yonkers Artist Residency Project
• Works in MoMA Archives, Whitney Museum Library, and New York Public Library

Teaching & Professional Experience:

• Former faculty at Rhode Island School of Design, NYU Steinhardt, and Bentley University
• Course offerings: Advertising Design, Sculpture, Art as Social Intervention

Labs/Teams: Active in New York and Las Vegas art communities, collaborating with spaces like deCordova Sculpture Park and Dorchester Art Project.