SUSAN O’MALLEY
1976 - 2015
Lived and worked in San Francisco, CA

EDUCATION
MFA California College of the Arts; focus in Social Practice, San Francisco CA 2006
BA Stanford University, BA, Urban Studies, with emphasis in Community Organizations, Stanford CA 1999

SELECTED EXHIBITION AND PROJECT HISTORY
2022
We’ve Been Here Before, joint exhibition with Leah Rosenberg, Romer Young Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2021
One Day at a Time, joint exhibition with Leah Rosenberg, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA

2020
The Susan O’Malley Project, Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, GA
I love you baby billboard, in Montalvo Art Center series “lone some,” San Francisco, CA
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self series, SFO airport, Terminal 1
Community Advice large scale-exterior installation and posters, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA

2019
Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self, Installation of billboard-size piece at 1950 Addison, Berkeley, CA.
It Will Be More Than You Could Ever Imagine mural, Root Division, SF, CA

2018
A Healing Walk permanent installation, Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, CA
Figures of Speech, San Diego Airport, exterior mural installation and banners in Terminal 1, San Diego, CA.
It Is Possible mural made in partnership with ArtWorks, West End of Cincinnati, OH.
Pep Talk Squad, Finale, Vestjyllands Kunstpavillion, Statens Kunstford, Denmark.

2017
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, Oakland Museum of Art, San Francisco, CA

2016
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, Bay Area Music and Pacific Film Archive, San Francisco, CA
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, Oakland Museum of Art, San Francisco, CA
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, Art on Market Street posters, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, window display in Gallery 16, San Francisco, CA
Advice from My 80-Year-Old Self, Facebook, Menlo Park, CA
Do More of What You Love, San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, San Francisco, CA
You Are Exactly Where You Need to Be, San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA
You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be: Part II, ICA San Jose, San Jose, CA
Presents Work by Susan O’Malley, San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco, CA

2015
Public Works, curated by Christian Frock & Tanya Zimbardo, Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, CA

2014
Finding Your Center, in collaboration with Leah Rosenberg, Bay Area Now 7, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, CA

2013
Happiness Is..., Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, CA
Artist Fellowship, Lucas Artists Residency Program, Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, CA You Arrive My Live Begins (Solo Exhibition), Galleri Urbane, Dallas, TX
Around the Table, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA
Headlands Art Auction, San Francisco, CA
Pass, Pass, Print, Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, CA

2012
Community Creates, Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto, CA
Art Moves Billboard Festival, Torun, Poland
Annual Fall Auction, San Jose ICA, San Jose, CA
My Healing Garden is Green, Romer Young Gallery, San Francisco, CA
In Other Words, Intersection for the Arts, San Francisco, CA, Curated by Kevin Chen City Beneath the City (Curator), San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA

2011
Oh, my God! Public spaces in Silkeborg, Denmark
4x4 Video screening, Romer Young Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Headlands Art Auction, San Francisco, CA
Shadowshoppe, SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA, Invited by artist Stephanie Syjuco,
Tony May: Old Technology (Curator), San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, San Jose, CA

2010
Hello, My Name is..., Site specific intervention for the College Art Association Conference, Chicago, Curated and produced by Christian L. Frock
Survival Annex, Curiosity Shoppe, San Francisco, CA
30th Annual Fall Auction, San Jose ICA, San Jose, CA

2009
It Will Be More Beautiful Than You Could Ever Imagine, Taco Stand, San Jose, CA
Next New: Green (Co-curator), San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA), San Jose, CA
You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be, Romer Young Gallery (formerly Ping Pong Gallery), San Francisco, CA Sisyphus Office, Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston
Sisyphus Office, Copy.com and SKYDIVE, Houston, Texas
Sub Zero Street Festival (Curator), San Jose, CA

2008
Desire to Fly, Spare Room Project, San Francisco, CA
Night Moves: Polarity Convergence by Jessica Miller (Curator), ICA, San Jose, CA
Lift Off: San Jose State University’s MFA Exhibition (Curator), ICA, San Jose, CA
This Show Needs You (Curator), ICA, San Jose, CA
Night Moves: Elaine Buckholtz (Curator), San Jose ICA, San Jose, CA
Conceptually Bound 3, The Community School of Music and Art, Mountain View, CA
Deadpan screening, The Lab, San Francisco, CA

2007
Hello Cupcake!, Invisible Venue, West Oakland, CA
Deadpan, Koh-i-noor Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lift Off: San Jose State University’s MFA Exhibition (Curator), ICA, San Jose, CA
Night Moves: Keturah Cummings (Curator), ICA, San Jose, CA
Sub Zero Street Festival (Curator), San Jose, CA
We Are Different, We Are the Same, The New House Gallery, Branson High School, Ross, CA

2006
Get Together! (Curator), The Hardware Store Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Graduate Exhibition, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
Smart Ass, Southern Exposure, San Francisco, CA
Free Pep Talks, Southern Exposure, San Francisco, CA

2005
Truth and Lies, Mission 17 Gallery, San Francisco, CA
SFAI/CCA Juried Show, Swell Gallery, San Francisco, CA

2005
Bay Area Regional Debates, California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA
The Independent School of Art Black Market, Hayes Valley Market, San Francisco, CA
Free Pep Talks, Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, CA
You Can Have It All, PlaySpace Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Pep Talks, Duke University, Durham, NC

SELECTED PRESS
Huffington Post: Someone More Beautiful Than You Could Ever Imagine
Artforum: Susan O'Malley
Artforum: Susan O'Malley's Friends and Family Complete Planned Berkeley Mural in Her Memory
San Francisco Chronicle: Artist's Mural in Berkeley
San Jose Mercury News: Susan O'Malley, A Voice for Art
KQED: Celebrating the Life of Artist and Curator Susan O'Malley
Juxtapoz: In Memory of Susan O'Malley
Chronicle Books Blog: Susan O'Malley, More Beautiful Than You Could Ever Imagine
East Bay Express: Remembering the Inspirational Susan O'Malley
A Simple Collective: We love you Susan O’Malley!
Los Angeles Magazine: Remembering Susan O'Malley
Art & Activism: THE SKY IS THE LIMIT: Susan O'Malley
From Saratoga: Happiness Is... by Glen Helfand, Art Practical Issue 4.10
Susan O’Malley: Finding a Happy Space, by Daniel Garcia, Content Magazine Issue 5.0 Winter 2013
What Would You Tell Your Younger Self? Silicon Valley Art Project Offers Community Advice by Matt Haber, FastCo.Create, 11/2012 Humor + Ideas+ Art: A Conceptual Artist at Work and Play by Lea Feinstein, SFWeekly, March 14-20, 2007
2006 MFA Shows by Catherine Czacki, shotgun-review.com, June 2006
CCA’s MFA Show by Chris Cobb, Stretcher.org, May 2006
Smartass at Southern Exposure by Scott Oliver, shotgun-review.com, April 2006
Smart Ass Review by Jordon Essoe, Artweek, April 2008

PUBLICATIONS
You Are Smarter and Stronger Than You Realize Notecards (Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self), published by Chronicle Books, 2017
Do Things That Matter to Your Heart Notebook Collection (Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self), published by Chronicle Books, 2017
Chapter on Susan O’Malley in Broad Strokes by Bridget Quinn, published by Chronicle Books 2017
Advice From My 80-Year-Old Self, published by Chronicle Books, 2016
Love Is Everywhere Look For It tote bag, published by THE THING QUARTERLY, 2016

SELECTED WRITINGS
“Exhaustively Effortless: The Artwork of Victoria May,” Catalog essay for Rydell Visual Arts Fellows, The Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center, Santa Cruz, 2011
“Of All Things, She Counts: Fanny Retsek,” ArtShift San Jose, online publication, 2011
“Alex Clausen: Flood,” Essay for solo exhibition at Ampersand International Arts, San Francisco, CA, 2010
“Finding the Extraordinary in an Ordinary Office Space: The South Bay Talent Center,” Written for a publication by artist Jon Brumit in collaboration with the San Jose Arts Commission, 2009

ACTIVITIES
2012 Panelist, Social Practice Artwork, organized by Ray Beldner for UC Berkeley Extension Program
2010 Juror, EMERGE Festival, Zero One Biennial, San Jose
2008-12 Invited speaker, San Jose State University Fine Art Department, San Jose
2011 Juror, Murphy Cadogan Awards, San Francisco Foundation, San Francisco
2010 Juror, Out of The Garage micro grants, Zero One Biennial, San Jose
2009 Juror, San Fernando Corridor Temporary Art Projects, City of San Jose, Office of Cultural Affairs
2009 Juror, Bridge Residency, Headlands Center for the Arts
01/09 – 01/10 Programs Committee, Headlands Center for the Arts
01/09 – 01/10 Programs Committee, Headlands Center for the Arts