Nan Cao is a New York City based Illustrator.
Her work is inspired by surreal imagery and her daily life in the big city. When she is not drawing, Nan loves to hang out in the park, daydream under the sun or get lost in her book collection.
Nan holds an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been recognized by American Illustration, Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, Association of Illustrators, 3x3 and Creative Quarterly.
Partial client list:
Abrams, School of Visual Arts, Johns Hopkins Magazine, Stanford Magazine, Stanford d. School, Quanta Magazine, Rebel Girls, Galison & Mudpuppy, Link NYC.
👩🏻💻 Let’s work together.
Awards
Society of Illustrators 2024
Illustration Annual 66, Gold Medalist
Communication Arts 2023
Illustration Annual 64, Winner
3X3 Illustration Annual 2022
No.19, Professional Show, Merit Award
American Illustration 2022
AI 41, Chosen Winner
Society of Illustrators 2021
Illustration Annual 64, Winner
Communication Arts 2021
Illustration Annual 62, Winner
American Illustration 2020
AI 39, Chosen Winner
AOI -World Illustration Awards 2020
Editorial, Longlisted Artist
Creative Quarterly 2020
No.59, Professional, Runner-up
i Jungle Illustration Awards 2020
New Talented, Merit Award
Communication Arts 2019
Illustration Annual 60, Shortlisted artist
Creative Quarterly 2019
No. 57, Professional, Runner-up
3X3 Illustration Annual 2018
No.15, Professional Show, Merit Award
3X3 Illustration Annual 2017
No.14, Professional Shows, Merit Award
Communication Arts 2017
Illustration Annual 59, Shortlisted artist
American Illustration 2017
AI 36, Chosen Winner
AOI -World Illustration Awards 2017
Editorial, Longlisted Artist
2017 - World Illustration Awards
Advertising, Shortlisted Artist
3X3 Illustration Annual 2015
No.12, Professional Shows, Honorable Mention
Selected Clients
Abrams, School of Visual Arts, Johns Hopkins Magazine, Stanford Magazine, Stanford d. School, Galison Mudpuppy Puzzle, Rebel Girls, Sierra Magazine, Anorak Magazine, Link NYC, Bulletin Magazine, Spectrum, Quanta Magazine, Washingtonian Magazine, Kitchn Magazine, Personal Finance Professional Magazine, Intercom.
Interview & Features
Communication Arts
Ballpit Mag
Girlsclub Asia
Directory of Illustration
Womanly Magazine
Kids Book Review
News Break
News Break Event Channel
The China Press
SinoVision TV Channel
Nan Cao - Using Illustration to Spin Webs of Dreams
Exhibitions
2022
“Heart to Heart: Our Pandemic Stories”, Nevada Humanities Gallery, Las Vegas, NV
“Little Black Book”, Mills Pond Gallery, New York, NY
2021
“The Shanghairen”, Pearl Art Museum, Shanghai, China
“Works Created During the Lockdown Period”, WAH Center, New York, NY
2020
“Wide Open 11”, BWAC Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, NY
“Hand Drawn”, Mills Pond Gallery, New York, NY
“Small Art Show”, Gallery Shoshinkan, Nagano, Japan
“Bologna Children’s Book Art Fair: Illustrators Virtual Wall”, online special edition, Bologna, Italy
“Red”, Novado Gallery, Jersey City, NJ
“WAH Salon 21st Anniversary Show”, WAH Center, New York, NY
“Blue Door Art Center 12th Annual Exhibition & Competition”, Blue Door Art Center, Yonkers, NY
“Look at Me!”, The Waterloo Arts Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2019
“Look at Me!”, The Art Palace, Cleveland, OH
“Art and Revelry”, Cloister of Saint-Paul de Mausole, France
“Give & Do and All Comes True”, SNF Conference, Athens, Greece
“Illustration Exhibit 2019”, Art League Gallery, Alexandria, VA
“Transformations: Figures of Our Other Selves”, Mills Pond Gallery, New York, NY
2018
“Just Us, 5 Chinese Female Stories in the United States”, New York Gallery of Chinese Art
2017
“When the Mind Lives in the Heart”, SNF Conference, Athens, Greece