Exploring the use of self-portraiture to complicate the photograph's position as ‘the truth,’ Oliver questions the reliability of personal narrative and ownership of the self; utilizing the relationship between diaristic text and image-making to document the re-performance of memory.

Ollie graduated from The School of the Musuem of Fine Arts at Tufts in 2021, with a BFA in studio art. Since then, she has begun her career in librarianship and in 2022, published their debut chapbook Body, Memory House (Gingerbug Press). Currently, she is an Iowa Arts Fellow, MFA candidate at the University of Iowa Center for the Book and MA candidate at the University of Iowa School of Library and Information Science. Ollie works out of Iowa City, seeking large bodies of water whenever possible and spoiling her cat, Smudge.

Lily Oliver, ‘Ollie’, born and raised in coastal Maine, works primarily in photography, creative writing, and bookmaking.

Education:
exp. 2028 MFA in Book Arts, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
exp. 2026 MA in Library and Information Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2021 BFA, School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, Boston, MA

Professional Experience:
2025-26 Graduate Cataloger, Book Art Database, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2022 Graphic Design & Layout, Mid-Century Chic: The Fashion Illustrations of Lucia Perrin, Moonglade Press
2021 Graphic Design & Layout, Tundra’s Gift, Moonglade Press
2021 Graphic Design & Layout, Proximity Show Catalog, School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2017-18 Curator’s Assistant, George Marshall Store Gallery, York, ME

Group & Juried Exhibitions:

2021 Proximity, Senior Thesis Show, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2020 Digital Dreams, Emerson Contemporary, Boston, MA
2020 Painting and Photo Show, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2019 Graphic Arts Annual, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2019 Arrested Image: SMFA Photography, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2018 Milkshake Garden, The Dorchester Art Project, Dorchester, MA
2018 School of the Museum of Fine Arts Medal Award Gala, Auction Participant, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2017 New Student Showcase, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
2017 Print + Paper Area Show, The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

In Print:

2022 Body, Memory House, Chapbook, Gingerbug Press
2022 A Material Book in which We Compile Conceptual Books, Partial Press
2021 Everyday, Ladies Drawing Clüb, Photography Issue, St. Petersburg, Russia
2019 “Alabaster, Bone Marrow”, Future Histories, Spring Issue, Medford, MA
2019 Ex Lover, Roster Zine, 3rd Edition, Boston, MA
2017 B Roll Zine, 1st Edition, Curated by Jean Chung, Boston, MA

Awards & Residencies:

2025 Star Island Artist in Residence, Star Island, NH
2024-25 Iowa Arts Fellowship, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2017 Maine Scholastic Writing Award, Gold Key Recipient
2015 Maine Scholastic Writing Award, Silver Key Recipient

Permanent Collections:

Tisch Library Collection, Tufts University, Boston MA