Visual Artist Renee M. Billingslea

About the Artist

"Don't Judge a Book by its Cover" is a saying artist Renee Billingslea remembers hearing from her childhood and keeps in the back of her mind as a way to stay open to other people's stories and characteristics.

Billingslea is an artist whose practice includes photography and stitching to create visual projects illuminating historical narratives. She strives to find subtle ways to address injustice, her white privilege, and unseen trauma.

Billingslea has a continued interest in photographic archives and material culture, which provides inspiration and truth for her art practice.

Renee earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Southern Oregon State University and a Master of Fine Arts from San Jose State University. She is a returning Peace Corps volunteer who served and completed her service in Central Pacific, Kiribati.

Billingslea is currently a Teaching Professor of Photography in the Department of Art and Art History at Santa Clara University. She resides in Santa Clara with her husband and actor, Aldo Billingslea.