YiMiao Shih

YiMiao Shih is a London-based artist and lecturer in Illustration and Visual Media at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. She also holds visiting and associate lecturer roles at the Royal College of Art and the University for the Creative Arts. Her artistic practice spans embroidery, drawing, illustration, and video, with a focus on satire and social commentary.

• BFA in Fine Art, National Taiwan Normal University
• MA in Visual Communication, Royal College of Art, 2015

Shih’s research and creative interests center on expanded drawing practices, particularly her innovative 'Embroidery-Drawing,' which merges textile techniques with illustration. She explores themes of Brexit, national identity, cultural politics, and Orientalism, often using rabbits as satirical motifs. Her work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts, Saatchi Gallery, and House of Illustration, where she completed a six-month residency in 2018–2019.

Her recent articles and media features reflect a consistent engagement with political satire, visual storytelling, and the role of illustration in public discourse. Themes across her publications include Brexit allegory, cultural identity, feminist critique, and the use of humor in art. Her workshops and talks emphasize illustration as activism, documentary practice, and digital performance.

• Develop Your Creative Practice grant, Arts Council England, 2022
• Residency Artist Grant, House of Illustration, 2018–19
• Scholarship for Postgraduate Overseas Study, Ministry of Education Taiwan, 2013–15

Shih advises and mentors students through her teaching roles and has participated in judging panels such as the Gordon Peter Pickard Bursary at RCA. She is a member of the Artistic Programme Advisory Panel at the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration (2022–2024). Her collaborative projects include 'In the Shade of the Stack' with Francesco Tacchini and 'Tell Us Anything About Taiwan.'

She leads workshops at institutions like Central Saint Martins and Camberwell College of Arts, focusing on illustration as protest, visual commentary, and pandemic-related drawing. Her studio practice is supported by her role as a visualizer at M Industry London (2016–2022), which also informs her artistic technique.