Recent Illustration Graduate Sophie Mahoney’s Artwork Featured in NYC Transit Public Art Initiative
Posted in: College News and Announcements, Department of Art and Design News
Sophie Mahoney, a recent Illustration graduate from the Department of Art and Design, was selected to exhibit her artwork in the New York City subway system through the Visionary Projects NYC Transit Public Art Initiative. She was one of seven artists chosen for the month-long public art exhibition in November 2025, which brings contemporary artwork into busy Manhattan subway stations.
Her featured work, Long Day, is an oil painting on unstretched canvas that was created while she was studying abroad in Newcastle, England, from January to June 2025. Mahoney chose to work on unstretched canvas so the large-scale painting, 29 x 60 inches, could be rolled and transported home in a suitcase, a method influenced in part by her interest in contemporary painters working at scale on unstretched surfaces.
The painting depicts the emotional and physical aftermath of a long day and reflects Mahoney’s experience of living abroad and immersing herself in new routines and creative environments. During her time in Newcastle, she filled her days with studio work, dance classes, traveling, and building new friendships. She credits the experience with pushing her to explore new ways of working and thinking about her practice.
“When I returned home, I came across the Visionary Projects open call and decided to apply,” Mahoney said. “A few months later, I received an email saying my work had been accepted to be shown in Manhattan subway stations. It was really exciting.”
–Sophie Mahoney
She noted the importance of Montclair State University’s study abroad opportunities in shaping the work. “I don’t think this painting would have been made if I hadn’t done the study abroad program at Montclair State,” Mahoney said.
Through the Visionary Projects initiative, selected artists have their work installed in NYC transit spaces, included in an online artist directory, and made available for purchase. Mahoney’s painting was installed at multiple subway locations, including 18th Street on the 1 line and Cortlandt Street on the R line, giving daily commuters and visitors the opportunity to encounter her work in a public setting.
Mahoney’s selection reflects the professional development encouraged within Montclair State University’s Department of Art and Design, where illustration students are supported in pursuing external opportunities, open calls, and real-world exhibition platforms that extend their work beyond the classroom and into the public sphere.
About the Artist:
Sophie Mahoney is a New York–based artist originally from New Jersey. She received a BFA with a concentration in painting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in May 2022, and a second BFA in Illustration from Montclair State University in Winter 2026. Her practice primarily focuses on painting, while also incorporating illustration and sculpture. Her work explores themes of feminism, queerness, body image, and mental health.
For more information about Sophie, please follow these links:
For more information about the organization: www.visionaryprojects.org/opencall