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Thea Lauren Pineda (b. 2002) is a visual artist whose work speaks in whispers and weight. Pineda's practice foregrounds unapologetic lesbian intimacy and narratives of care and belonging thousands of miles away from their ancestral home. Their main body of work connects the aestheticization and depersonalization of the Asian femme body in American society with their Filipino lesbian identity, often through handmade paper, and natural materials. They currently are based in Minnesota and is Artist & Administrator for Don't You Feel It Too? and a 2024-2026 PF Studios Incubator Residency Artist at Public Functionary in Minneapolis.
artwork
select mixed media drawings and ink paintings, 2023-2025.
2025
Saing, 2025, ink, jasmine rice, handmade banana leaf paper
Saing, detail
2023 - 2024
Iuwi Mo Ako (Take Me Home), January 2024, recycled paper bags and sumi ink 48” x 44”
Maghubad 1/2, 2024, Nepalese lokta paper, vine charcoal, compressed charcoal 20” x 30”
Iuwi Mo Ako, 2023, wooden cabinet, woven basket, handmade mug, embroidered cloth with the Philippines sun motif, 25”x25”x15”
Declaration, 2023, Stonehenge paper, soft pastel 22” x 29”
Nakakahiya, 2023 Nepalese lokta paper, raw canvas, colored pencil, conté crayon, vine charcoal 20” x 29”
Bintana, 2023, soft pastels, charcoal, & ink, 18" x 24"
Ampalaya, 2023 Vietnamese handmade melon leaf paper, colored pencil, banana leaves 18” x 24”
Suman, 2023, soft pastels & banana leaves, 18" x 24"
Latik, 2023, soft pastels & banana leaves, 18" x 24"
digital design & illustrations
graphic design
2025, SMC Artists at Work, San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture, San Mateo, CA.
Designed a logo and badge for artists working for San Mateo County in California. The logo was used in signage promoting the first staff exhibition coordinated by the Office of Arts and Culture of the county. Artists @ Work is a project in collaboration with Marcus Young, US Cultural Policy Fellow at Stanford University.
mock up of "Artists at Work" badges, 2025
close up of "Artists at Work" badge worn
artist wearing "artists at work" badge next to their artwork
group of artists in san mateo county, california, all wearing "artists at work" badge
2025, Creative Changemaker Residency Week, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN
Illustrated an artistic dartboard to be used for a month-long installation at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN. Project was done in collaboration with artist Marcus Young's residency at Macalester.
illustrated digital graphic
illustrated dartboard printed and mounted, 2025
close up of illustrated dartboard
2024, Vital Condition Newsletter Logo, Minneapolis, MN
Illustrated and designed a logo to be used for promoting my bachelor of fine arts capstone exhibition at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, Minneapolis, MN.
illustrated vital condition graphic 2024
cropped screenshot of Don't You Feel It Too?'s newsletter, designed by thea
illustrations
select digital illustrations, 2022-2024.
commission, 2024
detail crop of a commission, 2024
cover of mahal ko, a butchfemme zine, 2023
aswang, 2022, inkjet print, 19.75" x 27.5"
detail crop of deposisyon, 2022, inkjet print, 22" x 30"
detail crop of delusion (pg. 1), 2023, inkjet print, 8.5" x 11"
delusion (pg. 2), 2023, inkjet print, 8.5" x 11"
artist cv
born in 2002, Minnesota, USA.
currently works in Minneapolis & St. Paul, MN.
Education
2024 University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. BFASolo Exhibitions
2024, Iuwi Mo Ako (Take Me Home), Various locations across the metro area, MN.Group Exhibitions
2025, Venus Reincarnated, Public Functionary, Minneapolis, MN.
2024, Vital Condition, Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
2023, Regis Center for Art’s 20th Anniversary Exhibition, Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
2023, Undergraduate Scholarship Exhibition, Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
2023, Isometric Room, Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
2022, Chiaroscuro Portrait, Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.Collaborative Projects
2025, Creative Changemaker Residency Week, Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN (dartboard installation and design in collaboration with Marcus Young).
2025, SMC Artists at Work, San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture, San Mateo, CA (logo design in collaboration with Marcus Young).Residencies & Awards
2026 Public Functionary + GMAC Juried Residency Artist, Grand Marais Art Colony, Grand Marais, MN.
2024-2026 PF Studios Incubator Residency Artist, Public Functionary, Minneapolis, MN.
2023 Carter Prize in Oil
2023 Joyce Lyon Scholarship
2022 Zelda and Max Berman ScholarshipArtist Talks and Presentations
2025 Artist Talk, Venus Reincarnated Artist Conversation Public Functionary, Minneapolis, MN.
2024 Artist Talk, Vital Condition Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.Professional Experience
2025-Present Artist and Administrator, Grace Minnesota dba Don’t You Feel It Too?, Saint Paul, MN.
2025-Present Studio Manager, Public Functionary, Minneapolis, MN.
2023-2025 Project Manager Intern, Grace Minnesota dba Don’t You Feel It Too?, Saint Paul, MN.
2023-2024 Teaching Assistant, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (Contemporary Art and Theory, Associate Teaching Professor Christina Schmid, Fall 2023 and Spring 2024).
2022 Teaching Assistant, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (Art & Life: Thinking About Ethics Through Art, Adjunct Professor Marcus Young, Fall 2022).Press
2025 MPLSART "Venus Reincarnated at Public Functionary: New Variations on an Ancient Theme"
news
current and upcoming events & select images from past exhibitions, 2024-2025.
recently on view
Venus Reincarnated
2025 PF Studios Group Exhibition at Public Functionary, Minneapolis, MN.Open from November 1, 2025 to December 6, 2025Photos by Rik Sferra and Haadiya Numani
past
Pictured:
Solo Exhibitions
2024, Iuwi Mo Ako (Take Me Home), Various locations across the metro area, MN.Group Exhibitions
2024, Vital Condition, Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.Photos by CJ Nelson, Thea Lauren Pineda, and Michelle Ta
about
Thea Lauren Pineda (pronouned th-ey-ah la-ren pin-eh-da) is a Minnesota-based visual artist working with contemporary drawing and collage. Pineda’s practice connects the aestheticization and depersonalization of the Asian femme body with their Filipino lesbian identity, often through handmade paper and natural materials, such as banana leaves and rice. Their art foregrounds unapologetic lesbian intimacy and narratives of care and belonging. Their work has been exhibited in venues such as the Katherine E. Nash Gallery and the Quarter Gallery in the Regis Center for Art, and Public Functionary in Northeast Minneapolis. They collaborated with behavioral artist Marcus Young 楊墨 in 2022 and is currently Artist and Administrator at the nonprofit organization, Don't You Feel it Too? as of May 2023. Pineda also is an Incubator Residency Artist and Studio Manager at Public Functionary, Studio #400.Photos by CJ Nelson, Ahnna Mahoney
Video by Ryan Stopera, courtesy of Public Functionary
contact me
please reach me via email at [email protected]
or send me a message at
thealaurenp @ instagram