Lauren
ABOUT
A specialist who left academia to find you.
I'm an art historian based in Portland, Oregon, who writes non-fiction and fiction. As a kid, I was terribly shy. Books transported me to different worlds where I felt brave and outspoken. Middle-earth. Oz. Wonderland. Narnia. Earthsea. Stories helped me find my own voice, and I never stopped believing in that power.
Before this new adventure, I was a longtime college professor who spent far too many hours crafting exciting stories to hook students' interest. Paint made from crushed bugs! Thousands of stone figures carved in remote caves! A urinal that changed the course of art! Art history at Disneyland! Making art history accessible to everyone—not just college students—became my obsession.
My superpower is finding ways to connect art history to everything.
"I want everyone to fall in love with the many exciting, weird, and even enraging histories of art. I need to use this PhD for good."
I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my wonderful husband, two quirky kids, and two eccentric cats. When I'm not writing or kid-wrangling, I spend as much time as possible outdoors, traveling the globe, and visiting Disneyland. A life goal: visit all the National Parks. That, and convince my kids that art history is cool.
I am also the co-founder of the educational project ARTSQ, aimed at making art history exciting for K–12 students, parents, and lifelong learners.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
The scholarly
side of things.
I earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in Art History from UCLA, where I was lucky to be inspired by brilliant people. I've taught everywhere from Ivy-adjacent to community colleges — and I love the humbling challenge of meeting students where they are.
My specialist research covers art in the Americas and Spain between 1400 and 1800. See more at lkilroyewbank.org or Academia.edu.
Associate Professor, Pepperdine University
Assistant Professor, Brooklyn College/CUNY and the Graduate Center
Lecturer/Instructor, UCLA, University of Oregon, CSULB, Portland State University
Selected Publications
BOOK
Holy Organ or Unholy Idol? The Sacred Heart in the Art, Religion, and Politics of New Spain
Brill, 2018
EDITED VOLUME
Emotions, Art, and Christianity in the Transatlantic World, 1450–1800, vol. 57, Brill’s Studies on Art, Art History and Intellectual History (BSAI)
Brill, 2021
ARTICLES & ESSAYS
Academic articles, public-facing essays, and videos about the art of Mexico, Italy, Spain, Peru, and more—published across academic and public platforms
